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.

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.

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.