Tottenham came close to signing Eberechi Eze over the summer, but were unable to get him close to the Emirates Stadium. It’s a brutal display of what they missed, carried out by a man who appears to be on a mission to hammer home the message.
Thomas Frank was trying to downplay confronting him. “Who is Eze?” he joked in the pregame press conference. But Eze was determined to make his mark and did so in historic style, becoming the first Arsenal player since 1978 to score a hat-trick in a north London derby, leading the Gunners to a resounding 4-1 victory.
“It’s special,” he beamed to Sky Sports afterwards. “That’s what I prayed for. I prayed for a hat trick, and it came true.” But this was more than divine intervention. Mikel Arteta revealed that Eze had a short day’s rest ahead of the match, revealing it was his determination to prepare.
Use Chrome Browser for a more accessible video player
Watch for free: Arsenal vs Spurs highlights
“Things happen for a reason,” the Arsenal manager said. “After the international assignment, he had two days off and after one day he wanted to train, he wanted to improve, he wanted to do some extra practice and he was asking me all kinds of questions.
“These are the kinds of things that happen when a player has that level of talent and that level of motivation.”
His desire to make an impact was evident from as early as three minutes into the game, with a brilliant clipped pass that set Declan Rice in the net. Rice wasted a chance and shot too close to Guglielmo Vicario. Eze wouldn’t make that mistake.
His first goal was a perfect example of the qualities that made him so attractive to Arsenal, as he created space in a packed Spurs box and finished low past more white-shirted defenders after being too quick for Rodrygo Bentancur and Joao Parinha.
Eze has the technical ability to find space even in tight spaces and not miss a shot opportunity. “Yeah, it doesn’t have to be perfect,” Arteta said afterwards. “He takes the ball at this height, whether it’s to the right or left, whether it’s on the ground or bounces. He has great qualities and ability to finish the action in different ways.”
Eze showed the same quality in the second and third goals, only his finishing was even better. After finding a corner kick in ruthless style from a square ball from Julien Timber, he let a desperate Destiny Oudogui slip past him before feeding Leandro Trossard’s pass, who in turn sent a pass into the other corner of the net.
Use Chrome Browser for a more accessible video player
Gary Neville says Arsenal’s 4-1 win over Spurs sent a message to the rest of the Premier League teams
This goal earned him the match ball and capped off a fine individual performance. Eze has looked subdued at times since joining Arsenal from Crystal Palace, but this was not one of them. He plays with a level of directness that is atypical among his teammates, but clearly that’s not all that sets him apart.
“From the day he came, he brought something different to the team, a certain joy, a certain aura that this team needed,” Arteta added in a subsequent press conference. “I hope it gives him and the team a lot of confidence.
“Anytime he can win us a game, that’s the ability he has and he definitely needs to show that ability.”
he’s doing it now. But it all started with a phone call when Arteta was on the verge of joining Spurs. “I remember last summer when he picked up the phone, he said he wanted to play for us, he wanted to be a part of this team, and that really resonates.”
Eze joins Arsenal from Crystal Palace this summer
On Sunday, he was helped by a role that gave him freedom.
With Martin Odegaard still absent, recovering from injury, Eze again started in the number 10 position, but was prompted to swap places with makeshift striker Mikel Merino.
“He’s finding ways to be in and around the box,” Arsenal legend Thierry Henry told Sky Sports. “He didn’t have a proper number nine to play with. I think that’s why it was easier for him to get into the box because he doesn’t have the presence of a number nine. He was a number nine sometimes.”
He relished the opportunity. In addition to scoring three goals, Eze had more shots and touches inside the opponent’s box than any other player, six and seven respectively, and finished the game focused on causing maximum damage.
It was Arsenal’s best performance to date, but it also hinted at how much more he could achieve in the future.
Eze joins teammates in celebrations at Emirates Stadium
Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher said after the match: “When Eze came on, I thought, well, this might not be a game-changer.”
“But then I saw some of his highlights this season. There are still some great goals in there and he goes to score a hat-trick. So, sorry. I certainly underestimated the importance of that signing because it looks like he could make a real difference to Arsenal this season and to win the title.”
That is Arsenal’s current hope, and although they are at the top of the table with a six-point difference, thanks in part to the addition of Eze and the “aura” they showed against Spurs, they look like a team that can aim for the championship.
Neville: Arteta has got the balance right.
Sky Sports’ Gary Neville said of Arsenal:
“Arsenal have been pushing hard for the last few years to win the title. They haven’t won the title yet, but they’re doing a lot of things very well. The story of this game was Gabriel’s injury, but no one is interested anymore because we have a team that can deal with players not being fit.”
“We’ve seen Hincapie slot in really naturally and Mosquera has done it before as well, so that kind of narrative doesn’t build.
“Tottenham were a team waiting to be beaten. It was a much-needed win after what happened yesterday against Liverpool and Man City. They sent a message to everyone in the league.”
Eze celebrates hat-trick with Bukayo Saka
“This team should win the Premier League and win the Champions League in the next two or three years. Maybe not this season, but they are reaching that level of stability and consistency. The team is pushing each other. Ebelesi Eze looked Brazilian, but it’s beautiful to see that confidence in an English player.”
“I’ve accused Mikel Arteta of putting the handbrakes on a little bit, but he’s now getting the balance of talent and confidence right in the team. That’s the intention. Don’t pass to the side, you’re better than that.”
“Their open game was really good, but they were criticized for lacking that. There’s a lot to like about them.”
