Eberechi Eze scored a hat-trick for Arsenal as they trounced north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur 4-1
Eberechi Eze scored a hat-trick to lead Arsenal to a 4-1 win over Tottenham Hotspurs in their English Premier League (EPL) North London derby at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
The England international was afforded space and capitalized with clinical efficiency to ensure a straightforward win for the Gunners in his first North London derby.
Leandro Trossard put the hosts ahead, while Richarlison scored the visitors’ consolation, as Arsenal made it four consecutive derby victories over Tottenham.
Arsenal were without injured Gabriel Magalhães, Victor Gyokores, and Martin Odegaard, but Bukayo Saka stood in as captain.
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The Gunners were on the front foot from the start, created the better chances, and took the lead on 36 minutes when Trossard controlled Merino’s defence-splitting pass to fire home a deflected shot that trickled into the bottom corner.
Eze got his second of the match within seconds of the second half. The midfielder of Nigerian heritage collected Jurrien Timber’s pass before curling a shot into the bottom corner.
Richarlison produced a goal of the season contender when he caught David Raya off his line and lifted the ball over the backtracking goalkeeper from just past the half-way line and into the net.
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The goal was scant consolation as Eze restored the home side’s three-goal lead with another curler into the far corner to seal a win, joining the history books as only the fourth player to score a hat-trick in the North London derby, and the first for Arsenal in 47 years since Alan Sunderland netted thrice in 1978.
Mikel Arteta’s side consolidate their position at the top of the EPL, with 29 points from 12 matches, as the Gunners opened a six-point lead over second-placed Chelsea.
