Arsenal Demolish Tottenham in Historic Derby Triumph: Four Game-Changing Revelations

"I'm not here for pleasure," Tottenham Hotspur's temporary manager Igor Tudor stated firmly before his first match in charge against Arsenal. That mindset certainly would have helped digest Sunday's north London derby loss more easily.

Following their fight back to level terms in the opening period, Spurs collapsed after Viktor Gyökeres regained Arsenal's advantage just two minutes into the second half. Eberechi Eze grabbed his second goal of the match (and fifth this season versus Tottenham) to establish a 3–1 advantage that allowed the Gunners to cruise through the remaining thirty minutes before Gyökeres sealed the victory with a fourth strike.

Arsenal's Premier League championship hopes have suffered considerably since January began, with good reason. Just two victories from their last seven league matches enabled Manchester City to narrow the deficit to merely two points.

The anxiety persisted in moments against Spurs, but the Gunners eventually triumphed over opponents facing far more serious problems than themselves, securing their biggest north London derby win away from home during the Premier League period.

Struggling Gunners Rediscover Their Accuracy

Struggling Gunners Rediscover Their Accuracy

Gyökeres had endured nearly three hours of Premier League action without attempting a shot before Sunday's journey across north London. Eze hadn't registered a top-flight shot on target for three months. Predictably, both players had their scoring troubles cured by Dr. Tottenham.

It's nearly impossible to determine how much praise should go to the wayward Gunners who rediscovered their shooting boots when facing opponents wearing Tottenham's jersey.

Eze appeared to have his own personal space bubble, given the room provided by an undermanned and injury-hit Spurs midfield. Yves Bissouma, whose early intensity had completely disappeared by halftime, was too easily bypassed by the ex-Crystal Palace player before being left with an empty goal for his second strike.

Gyökeres delivered perhaps his most impressive performance of a disappointing debut campaign with two well-taken goals. However, the defender he consistently outpaced, outsmarted and overpowered was the struggling Radu Drăgușin, a player Tudor surely wouldn't have relied upon if Cristian Romero, Kevin Danso (or even Ben Davies) had been fit. As Tudor admitted afterwards: "Arsenal was much better."

Tudor Seeking Positive Signs in the Darkness

Tudor Seeking Positive Signs in the Darkness

Tottenham's most crushing north London derby loss at home in 48 years provided few encouraging moments.

Spurs disrupted their opponents, particularly in the first period, with the kind of aggressive style Tudor had requested. "My objective in our initial training sessions is that we became a unit," he stated. "A unit with the proper mentality for battle, a unit willing to endure hardship."

The home team certainly engaged in combat, accumulating a season-high 17 fouls that initially troubled their anxious visitors. However, despite a 12-day gap between matches, this severely depleted squad became noticeably tired and Tudor had limited choices from a bench featuring five teenagers.

It was somewhat surprising to see Randal Kolo Muani absent from the substitute list. Dominic Solanke had been questionable for the fixture and watched from the sidelines while Tudor's former Juventus forward demonstrated the form his manager had appreciated in Turin with a sharp first-half equalizer.

During his 13 appearances under the Croatian coach, Kolo Muani has found the net seven times. He managed only three goals in 27 games under Thomas Frank. Whether the former Juve teammates can sustain that productive partnership for the season's remainder will be intriguing to observe—particularly if it comes at Solanke's expense, one of Tottenham's few dependable contributors.

Tudor showed no inclination toward positivity following the match. "We must run harder, we must play superior football, we must defend more effectively, we must win challenges, second balls," he complained. In the new Spurs manager's view, Arsenal were "quicker," "more powerful" and, most critically, better motivated. "They have greater belief," he worried, "that is ultimately the decisive factor—they have stronger conviction."

Arsenal's Anxiety Won't Be Simple to Overcome

Arsenal's Anxiety Won't Be Simple to Overcome

Rare Declan Rice mistake leads to a Spurs equaliser 24 seconds after Eberechi Eze's opener. pic.twitter.com/DZ12S5KhoV

Manchester United's iconic manager Sir Matt Busby consistently cautioned against bold statements in football's unpredictable realm. "It's extremely risky to boast," he would advise, "because in my field every day can expose you as wrong."

Rice used the derby buildup to tell anyone listening that Arsenal's squad "completely believes" they possess the skill and, crucially, mental strength to "triumph in every match." That confidence wasn't fully displayed in N17.

The nervous energy that surrendered a two-goal advantage against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Wednesday night quickly resurfaced. Every Arsenal defender began carelessly losing possession before Eze's opening strike. Rice completed the error sequence 24 seconds after the restart.

Rice's calls for his teammates to keep their "calm" had barely been spoken when he dribbled straight into Kolo Muani inside Arsenal's penalty area. Tottenham's struggling forward capitalized fully on the mistake to score his first Premier League goal—though this wasn't the Gunners' first recent error.

Martín Zubimendi, Rice's steady midfield colleague, committed an even worse mistake against Manchester United in January. Gabriel and David Raya, two foundations of the team's previously respected defense, combined to create Wolves' late equalizer midweek by competing for the same aerial ball.

"Question yourself, do you wish to join the criticism or not?" was Arteta's response to his squad when asked about their mental strength. "If not, go do something different, become part of another organization."

Arsenal Embodying Football Sayings

Arsenal Embodying Football Sayings

Arsenal have perfectly demonstrated several football truisms this week. A 2–0 lead proved extremely precarious against Wolves but they've appeared most exposed immediately after scoring for months. Kolo Muani's rapid counter-punch on Sunday marked the ninth goal Arsenal have allowed within 10 minutes of scoring this season.

That remarkable figure accounts for over one-third of all goals Arsenal have conceded this campaign. Eight of those nine have occurred since January.

Arsenal's reaction to this latest setback has diverted attention from a persistent problem that must concern Arteta—finding a solution isn't straightforward.