Arsenal reasserted control of the Premier Leaguetitle race with a commanding 4-1 win over Tottenham in the north London derby, restoring their five-point lead at the top of the table.
The result came amid mounting criticism following a midweek collapse against Wolverhampton Wanderers, while Manchester City had trimmed the gap with a win over Newcastle United.
Against that backdrop, Arsenal delivered a statement performance driven by Eberechi Eze and Viktor Gyokeres.
Eze sets the tone
Eze opened the scoring in the 32nd minute, finishing from close range after sustained pressure inside the Tottenham area.
It was a decisive intervention in a fixture that carried added narrative, given his near move to Spurs before completing a £60 million switch from Crystal Palace to Arsenal in August.
Tottenham responded quickly through Randal Kolo Muani, who levelled two minutes later with an individual effort.
However, Arsenal regained control just after the interval when Gyokeres struck from 20 yards, restoring the visitors’ advantage with a precise right-footed finish.
Eze extended the lead in the 61st minute, reacting quickest to a loose ball in the box and sweeping past Guglielmo Vicario to make it 3-1.
Gyokeres answers critics
With Tottenham chasing the game under interim manager Igor Tudor, Arsenal maintained composure rather than retreating.
Gyokeres added a fourth in stoppage time, overpowering Archie Gray before finishing emphatically to complete his brace.
The Swedish forward’s double offered a timely response to recent criticism, while Eze’s performance marked a significant return to form.
Prior to the derby, he had started only four of Arsenal’s previous 15 league matches, despite featuring regularly.
Under the watch of England head coach Thomas Tuchel, Eze delivered when Arsenal required a little bit of clarity on their title stance.