Arsenal midfielder Eberechi Eze tormented Tottenham once more as his double revived the Premier League leaders’ title bid in a 4-1 rout of their north London rivals on Sunday.
Mikel Arteta’s aspect ended a harmful two-match winless run and moved 5 factors away from second-placed Manchester Metropolis due to Eze’s starring position and a brace from Viktor Gyokeres.
Having rejected the possibility to affix Tottenham within the shut season, Eze has produced his greatest moments in an Arsenal shirt towards his former suitors.
The 27-year-old scored a hat-trick when Arsenal thrashed Tottenham 4-1 in November and Arteta introduced the England midfielder again into his beginning line-up for the rematch regardless of his current poor kind.
He rewarded Arteta’s religion together with his first objectives since his treble towards Tottenham, ending a barren run that had lasted 18 video games.
Eze gave Arsenal the lead within the first half on the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium earlier than Randal Kolo Muani grabbed an immediate equaliser.
Gyokeres settled Arsenal’s nerves instantly after the interval, Eze bagged the third and Gyokeres wrapped up a priceless victory.
After a tough first season following his transfer from Sporting Lisbon, Gyokeres’ objectives had been as cathartic for the Sweden striker as Eze’s had been for him.
The redemption arcs for Eze and Gyokeres could not have come at a greater second after Arsenal’s title push had gone off the rails.
The Gunners held a commanding lead of their chase to win a primary English title since 2004, however blown leads in attracts towards Brentford and Wolves of their earlier two video games breathed new life into the title race.
Metropolis’s 2-1 win over Newcastle on Saturday had closed the hole on Arsenal to only two factors.
Conscious of the mounting strain, Arteta advised his gamers to affix one other membership in the event that they could not deal with the “noise and bullets” that include preventing for the title, urging them to write down their “personal future”.
Though Arsenal responded to Arteta’s rallying cry, Metropolis nonetheless maintain the future of the title of their arms.
If Pep Guardiola’s crew win their remaining 11 matches, they are going to take the title no matter Arsenal’s ends in their final 10 video games.
Arsenal are unbeaten within the final eight north London derbies and their followers took nice pleasure in reminding Tottenham supporters that there isn’t any assure they are going to meet subsequent season.
Tottenham are simply 4 factors above the relegation zone as their winless league run prolonged to a ninth match in interim boss Igor Tudor’s first recreation since changing the sacked Thomas Frank.
Tudor is “100%” certain his troubled membership will keep away from relegation.
However the prospect of enjoying within the Championship for the primary time since 1977-78 stays a bleak risk after simply two wins of their final 18 league matches.
Arsenal’s relentless first-half strain was rewarded within the thirty second minute.
Pape Sarr carelessly surrendered possession on the sting of his personal space and Bukayo Saka crossed in the direction of Eze, who took a contact earlier than netting with an agile volley from 10 yards.
Arsenal’s lead lasted simply two minutes as they conceded an equally sloppy aim.
Declan Rice was responsible of dwelling on the ball simply outdoors his personal space and Kolo Muani made him pay, bursting previous William Saliba for a fierce strike that gave David Raya no probability.
Arsenal had been unfazed and punished one other second of defensive weak point within the forty seventh minute.
Jurrien Timber performed the ball into Gyokeres and Tottenham’s dozing defence granted him acres of area on the sting of the realm to show and blast an unstoppable shot previous Guglielmo Vicario.
Eze delivered the knockout blow within the 61st minute, with an help from extra depressing Tottenham defending.
Micky Van de Ven’s deal with stopped Saka from taking pictures however Joao Palhinha made a hash of clearing and Eze gleefully slotted dwelling from 12 yards.
Gyokeres had the final phrase, holding off Archie Grey to fireside dwelling in stoppage time as Tottenham followers flooded to the exits.
