Eze Shines as Arsenal Crush Tottenham with Decisive 4-1 Derby Triumph

Key Takeaways:

• Arsenal recorded a commanding 4-1 win against Tottenham Hotspur, maintaining a five-match winning streak in the North London Derby
• Eberechi Eze scored twice, bringing his tally to five goals in the last two derbies versus Spurs
• The Gunners restored their five-point cushion over Manchester City in the Premier League, though they have played an additional fixture

Match Analysis

Arsenal secured a critical 4-1 away victory at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, bolstering their pursuit of the Premier League title and extending their derby dominance to five successive wins. The atmosphere was electric, with early boos from home supporters targeting the visiting Gunners each time they held possession.

Despite early Arsenal pressure, Viktor Gyökeres was denied by Radu Dragusin and Leandro Trossard’s effort from distance was also stopped. Gyökeres narrowly missed moments later, flashing a shot just wide, before a technical malfunction halted play temporarily due to a communication issue among officials.

BOUNCING BACK WITH A BIG WIN. pic.twitter.com/gmXcunGGwy

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) February 22, 2026

Once action resumed, Mikel Arteta’s side continued to pose threats. William Saliba headed off-target from a crafted corner routine, while Trossard again failed to convert after intercepting a misplaced pass from Xavi Simons. Archie Gray took a blow to the face, but Spurs launched into attack, only to fall behind in the thirty-first minute when Bukayo Saka worked past Pape Matar Sarr to set up Eberechi Eze, who steered the opener home.

Turning Points and Second Half Action

Tottenham immediately hit back just 24 seconds after the restart, with Randal Kolo Muani dispossessing Declan Rice and firing past David Raya to restore parity. Trossard nearly restored the visitors’ lead before half-time but placed his effort wide, sending the sides in level at the interval after further communication issues delayed the restart.

Early in the second period, Simons threatened Raya’s goal before Gyökeres ruthlessly finished beyond Guglielmo Vicario within ninety seconds. Kolo Muani thought he had equalised once again, but his effort was disallowed for a foul on Gabriel Magalhaes.

The Gunners pressed for a third as Saka linked neatly with Eze, yet found Vicario equal to his effort. Moments later, Van de Ven thwarted Saka again, before Eze converted his second of the evening, increasing his tally to five goals in two North London derbies and extending Arsenal’s advantage.

Defensive Heroics and Closing Moments

Arsenal were tested in the closing stages, with Raya producing an outstanding save to prevent a deft Richarlison flick. The visitors, conscious of their midweek setback at Molineux Stadium, remained composed and further increased their margin when Gyökeres shrugged off Gray and powered his shot home. The result marked Arsenal’s third win from their previous eight Premier League fixtures, re-establishing a five-point gap over Manchester City, albeit from an extra game played.

For Tottenham, it proved a third consecutive league defeat, leaving them four points clear of the relegation zone following missed opportunities to capitalise on Nottingham Forest’s late defeat to Liverpool earlier.

Match Statistics

Player Performance

Eberechi Eze’s contribution was pivotal, with two critical goals that not only underscored his attacking prowess but also marked five goals in his previous two encounters with Spurs.