Arsenal vs Tottenham returned to the Emirates Stadium with high stakes, but it ended as a one-sided masterclass. Mikel Arteta’s side proved they were simply too strong for a timid Spurs outfit, securing a resounding 4-1 victory that cements their place as the undisputed kings of North London.
The headlines belong to one man: Eberechi Eze. The summer signing, who famously spurned Tottenham’s advances to join the red side of London, haunted his potential suitors with a breathtaking hat-trick. Leandro Trossard added the fourth, ensuring that Richarlison’s spectacular long-range effort was nothing more than a footnote in a humiliating afternoon for the visitors.
North London is 🔴 pic.twitter.com/wQIjRWYT1m
— Premier League (@premierleague) November 23, 2025
Eze Shines in Arsenal vs Tottenham Showdown
The narrative leading up to this Arsenal vs Tottenham clash was dominated by transfer talk. Tottenham boss Thomas Frank had jokingly asked “Who’s Eze?” in the pre-match build-up, referencing the failed move. On the pitch, Eze provided the perfect riposte.
From the first whistle, Arsenal looked sharper, hungrier, and tactically superior. While the absence of Gabriel Magalhaes in defense was touted as a potential weakness for Spurs to exploit, the visitors barely laid a glove on David Raya’s goal in the first half.
The deadlock was broken in the 36th minute. Mikel Merino, deployed again in an advanced role covering for Viktor Gyokeres, dropped deep to orchestrate play. His sublime pass unlocked the Spurs defense, finding Trossard. The Belgian twisted, turned, and fired a deflected shot past Guglielmo Vicario to send the home crowd into raptures.
But the game truly came alive through Eze. Just five minutes after the opener, he latched onto a Declan Rice pass, weaving through a static defense to drill a low finish home. The “hijacked” signing had officially announced himself in the biggest game of the season.
Thomas Frank’s Tactics Backfire
Tactically, this Arsenal vs Tottenham encounter exposed the flaws in Thomas Frank’s conservative approach. Promising “controlled chaos,” Frank instead delivered a confused performance. His decision to field a five-man backline invited pressure rather than soaking it up.
Despite bringing on Xavi Simons at halftime to inject some life into the attack, Spurs were undone within 35 seconds of the restart. Eze, displaying predatory instincts, capitalized on flat-footed defending to net his second and Arsenal’s third.
Richarlison did manage to briefly silence the Emirates with a majestic 35-yard lob over Raya in the 55th minute—Tottenham’s first shot of the game—but it was a moment of individual brilliance in a sea of mediocrity for the visitors.
A Historic Treble and Title Charge
Any hopes of a comeback were extinguished in the 76th minute. Trossard turned provider, picking out Eze, who blasted a blistering strike from 12 yards to complete his hat-trick. It was the first North London derby hat-trick since the days of Alan Sunderland, and it sealed Eze’s status as an instant Arsenal legend.
This victory does more than just offer bragging rights. It sends Arsenal six points clear at the top of the Premier League. With Manchester City stumbling against Newcastle and Liverpool in turmoil, the path to a first title since 2004 looks clearer than ever.
The Gunners are now 15 games unbeaten in all competitions. As they prepare to face Bayern Munich in the Champions League and Chelsea next weekend, Arteta’s machine looks unstoppable. For Tottenham, however, the heavy defeat ends their unbeaten away run and raises serious questions about whether Frank’s philosophy can cut it at the elite level.
The Arsenal vs Tottenham rivalry has seen many battles, but few have been as decisive as this destruction at the Emirates.
