Eze's Double Steals the Show as Arsenal Demolish Tottenham in North London Derby Masterclass

Arsenal's championship pursuit regained momentum in the north London derby, with Eberechi Eze and Viktor Gyökeres both netting twice in a commanding 4–1 triumph over Tottenham Hotspur.

The Gunners' recent struggles had given false optimism to those in north London, as Igor Tudor oversaw his debut match as Spurs boss after the overdue dismissal of Thomas Frank.

Nevertheless, the Croatian coach couldn't stop the Gunners from establishing their superiority in this matchup yet again. Spurs' extensive injury list proved too much to overcome, with the away side controlling proceedings throughout—despite giving their hosts brief encouragement after Eze's opening strike.

This time there was no capitulation, however, as Mikel Arteta's squad managed their advantage professionally, with Viktor Gyökeres and Eze finding the net in the second period to secure a well-earned victory for the table-toppers against their relegation-battling neighbors.

The Problem That Won't Go Away

The Problem That Won't Go Away

Unusual Declan Rice error results in a Spurs leveller just 24 seconds following Eberechi Eze's opening goal. pic.twitter.com/DZ12S5KhoV

Declan Rice criticized Arsenal's "unnecessary mistakes" following Wednesday's disappointing 2–2 stalemate against bottom-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers, as a defensive breakdown between David Raya and Gabriel permitted the home team to level in added time.

Therefore, after Eze netted his fourth north London derby strike of the campaign during Sunday's opening period, Rice was eager to remind his colleagues of their responsibilities. He gathered the Gunners together as the visiting supporters celebrated, shouting "composure!" to his teammates as Tottenham readied their response.

Yet, Rice evidently needed to better apply this advice to himself. Almost instantly, the midfielder lost the ball in a dangerous area and enabled Randal Kolo Muani to register his maiden Premier League strike.

Less than sixty seconds elapsed between Rice's team talk and his costly mistake, meaning Arsenal have now conceded quickly after scoring in three consecutive matches. Such errors, particularly from players Mikel Arteta depends on most, will only result in frustration come season's end, though it didn't prove decisive in the derby due to their two summer acquisitions.

Arsenal Player Ratings vs. Tottenham (4-2-3-1)

Arsenal Player Ratings vs. Tottenham (4-2-3-1)

*Ratings courtesy of FotMob*

GK: David Raya—8.2: Third consecutive match without a shutout for Raya, though the Spanish keeper wasn't at fault as he was midweek. A relatively quiet afternoon until he denied a Richarlison attempt on his goal line.

RB: Jurriën Timber—7.6: The Dutch defender's difficult spell persisted in N17, and he was substituted before the hour mark while on a yellow card. He did provide the cross for Gyökeres's opening goal, however.

CB: William Saliba—7.4: Saliba might have done better to prevent Kolo Muani's equalizer, but the French center-back was largely comfortable otherwise.

CB: Gabriel—7.6: Survived a few challenging moments against Kolo Muani, with the duo engaging in an entertaining battle throughout. This wasn't the Brazilian's most polished display.

LB: Piero Hincapié—7.9: A useful attacking option, though Hincapié was relatively measured here. Faced little defensive pressure throughout.

DM: Declan Rice—6.8: Following his gift to Spurs for their equalizer, another Rice mistake nearly cost them when Richarlison almost capitalized, which could have created a tense finish.

DM: Martín Zubimendi—7.2: Calmly conducted his duties in the defensive midfield role. Intelligent positioning helped Arsenal navigate Spurs' aggressive pressing.

RW: Bukayo Saka—7.0: Tottenham were determined to prevent Saka from dominating the derby, but their focused attention enabled his teammates to flourish.

AM: Eberechi Eze—8.9: One wonders what Tottenham Hotspur did to upset this player previously? Eze's exceptional record against the Lilywhites continued in Sunday's clash, scoring twice to complement his hat-trick in the earlier meeting.

LW: Leandro Trossard—6.8: The most subdued of Arsenal's attacking players. Trossard's accuracy was lacking throughout, though he remains a shrewd operator.

ST: Viktor Gyökeres—9.0: As impressive as he's been in Arsenal colors. The Swedish striker finished his chances brilliantly, securing the Gunners' fifth consecutive north London derby victory.

SUB: Cristhian Mosquera (57' for Timber)—7.2: Mosquera provided stability in Arsenal's defense, and proved troublesome for Djed Spence when pressing high up the field.

SUB: Gabriel Martinelli (76' for Trossard)—6.1: Had minimal impact during the closing 15 minutes.

SUB: Martin Ødegaard (77' for Eze)—7.0: Sealed the victory by setting up Gyökeres's second strike.

SUB: Noni Madueke (90' for Saka)—N/A

Unused substitutes: Kepa Arrizabalaga (GK), Ben White, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Christian Nørgaard, Gabriel Jesus, Riccardo Calafiori.

What the Ratings Tell Us

What the Ratings Tell Us

The Statistics Behind Arsenal's Commanding Derby Victory

The Statistics Behind Arsenal's Commanding Derby Victory