Arsenal midfielder Eberechi Eze showed Tottenham what they missed out on with a brilliant hat-trick in a 4-1 north London derby demolition that bolstered the Premier League leaders’ title charge.
Mikel Arteta’s side were too strong for timid Tottenham on Sunday as Leandro Trossard and Eze netted in the first half at the Emirates Stadium.
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Eze, who spurned Tottenham’s advances to join Arsenal in the close season, struck again in the second half.
Richarlison’s incredible long-range goal reduced the deficit, but it was no consolation as Eze completed his superb treble to fire the Gunners six points clear at the top.
It was only the fourth north London derby hat-trick after Ted Drake, Terry Dyson and Alan Sunderland, the latter being the most recent in 1978.
Arsenal’s 10-match winning streak was ended by Sunderland’s late equaliser in a 2-2 draw before the international break.
But Eze’s best performance since his 60-million-pound ($78m) move from Crystal Palace erased that bitter taste as Tottenham were put to the sword at the Emirates yet again.
The Gunners – unbeaten in the last seven north London derbies – have lost just once in 33 home meetings with their bitter rivals from the other end of the Seven Sisters Road.
Arsenal’s biggest win over Tottenham since 2012 was the perfect start to a crucial period featuring a visit from Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Wednesday before a trip to second-placed Chelsea next weekend.
Arsenal’s unbeaten run in all competitions has reached 15 games, ensuring they took advantage of Manchester City’s 2-1 defeat at Newcastle on Saturday.
With City spluttering and champions Liverpool in turmoil, Arsenal have a golden opportunity to end their wait for a first English title since 2004.
Tottenham arrived with the Premier League’s best away record, but the limp end of their five-game unbeaten run on the road raised fresh questions about boss Thomas Frank’s negative philosophy.
The absence of injured Arsenal centre-back Gabriel Magalhaes had been highlighted as a potential weakness for Tottenham to exploit.
Yet Tottenham rarely got close enough to the Arsenal penalty area to test that theory.
Mikel Merino was again deployed as Arsenal’s makeshift striker in the absence of the injured Viktor Gyokeres, but the Spain midfielder dropped deep into more familiar terrain to set up Trossard’s goal in the 36th minute.
Caressing a sublime pass over the Tottenham rearguard, Merino picked out Trossard, who was played onside by the dozing Kevin Danso.
Trossard smartly twisted and turned to find space for a shot that deflected past Guglielmo Vicario from 10 yards.
If Tottenham had their way in the summer, Eze would be turning out for them, but Arsenal hijacked the deal with Palace to sign the England star at the 11th hour.
Frank had joked, “Who’s Eze?” when asked this week about the failed move.
Eze had the perfect riposte in the 41st minute as he took Declan Rice’s pass in stride and weaved through to drill a fine low finish past Vicario.
Frank sent on Xavi Simons for Danso at the interval, but the introduction of the forward Tottenham signed instead of Eze made no difference.
Eze struck again just 35 seconds after half-time, punishing Tottenham’s flat-footed defence with a predatory finish from just inside the area.
Richarlison briefly silenced the crowing Arsenal fans when he lobbed David Raya with a sensational effort from 35 yards in the 55th minute.
But that was Tottenham’s first shot of the game, and Eze, picked out by Trossard’s pass, put a fitting seal on his masterclass with a blistering strike from 12 yards in the 76th minute.
Eze told Sky Sports after the game that he had prayed for a hat-trick.
“I am grateful for this. I have worked hard for this. That was the prayer today, for a hat-trick,” he said.
“All my family is here. It makes it even more special.”
Tottenham’s goalkeeper Vicario apologised to the Spurs fans and said his side did not show enough fight.
“We need to fight every day, and fight every duel. In that aspect, we didn’t play our game,” he told Sky Sports. “You can speak about tactics and build-up, but if you don’t put in a performance as a collective …
“Today, we didn’t show it.”
