Arsenal ripped through Tottenham in a blistering north London showdown that sent the Emirates into delirium and fired Mikel Arteta’s men six points clear at the Premier League summit. This was a derby that crackled from the first whistle and by the end only one truth remained. Arsenal look every inch a champion side. Tottenham look miles off the pace.
Thomas Frank arrived with a cautious game plan built on a five man back line. He wanted order. He wanted control. What he got instead was a red and white whirlwind that blew his side all over the capital. Arsenal owned the ball. They owned the territory. They owned the moment. Spurs could not live with them.
The breakthrough came on thirty six minutes and it had been coming all afternoon. Leandro Trossard darted through a helpless defence after a superb ball from Mikel Merino. One touch to steady himself and then a cold finish into the far corner as the Emirates erupted in familiar triumph.
Then came the moment that will live long in Eberechi Eze folklore. Eze who spent the summer flirting with a move to Tottenham before Arsenal swooped in and stole the show produced a dazzling solo strike on the stroke of half time. He jinked past two defenders on the edge of the area before unleashing a low thunderbolt beyond Guglielmo Vicario. The celebration said it all. This was a player proving exactly why Arsenal fought to bring him north of the river.
Frank tore up his plan at the interval and threw on Xavi Simons in a bid to add some spark. Yet within twenty three seconds of the restart Spurs were dead and buried. Eze drifted into space picked his spot and curled a gorgeous left footed finish into the bottom corner. The Emirates did not roar. It shook.
Tottenham finally showed flickers of life when Richarlison spotted David Raya off his line and lobbed him from close to forty yards. A fine strike. A fine moment. Completely meaningless in the grand scheme. Arsenal were far too good and far too ruthless to let their grip slip.
Eze crowned his perfect afternoon on seventy six minutes with a calm rising finish to complete his first senior hat trick. A star performance on derby day and a statement that will echo throughout the league.
Arsenal now boast their biggest advantage at this stage of any Premier League season since the glory years. They have suffered three straight campaigns of finishing second. Now with belief rising and the football flowing they look ready to chase down their first title since the Invincibles era.