Arsenal secured a commanding 4-1 triumph against their north London rivals at the Emirates Stadium, propelled by Eberechi Eze's remarkable hat-trick.
The Nigerian international became the first player to score three goals in this fixture since 1975, delivering a masterclass that left Tottenham Hotspur thoroughly outplayed.
The victory extended Arsenal's advantage at the Premier League summit to six points, capitalising on defeats suffered by Liverpool and Manchester City on Saturday.
Mikel Arteta's side demonstrated their title credentials with a dominant display, maintaining their impressive unbeaten run across all competitions.
Eberechi Eze scored the first hat-trick in a north London derby in 50 years
|REUTERS
Despite missing several key players through injury, the Gunners proved far superior to their visitors.
The comprehensive nature of the victory underscored Arsenal's current supremacy in north London, securing their fourth consecutive derby triumph this century.
The Emirates Stadium witnessed a first-half stalemate before Arsenal burst into life with two quickfire strikes. Leandro Trossard broke the deadlock in the 36th minute, capitalising on Mikel Merino's astute pass to score with a deflected effort past Guglielmo Vicario.
Five minutes later, Eze doubled the advantage after evading both Rodrigo Bentancur and Joao Palhinha before unleashing an unstoppable drive. The 27-year-old struck again within seconds of the restart, finding the bottom corner with precision to effectively end the contest.
Tottenham's sole response came through Richarlison's audacious 35-yard strike that sailed over David Raya, marking their first attempt of the entire match.
However, Eze completed his treble shortly afterwards, bamboozling Destiny Udogie before calmly slotting home to seal an emphatic victory for the hosts.
Thomas Frank's tactical approach proved disastrous, abandoning his defensive setup at half-time after witnessing his side's inability to progress beyond their own half. The manager's decision to deploy a back three formation alongside a defensive midfield pairing failed to provide the anticipated solidity.
The visitors managed merely three attempts throughout the entire match, highlighting their offensive impotence. Frank's negative game plan sent the wrong signals to his players, who appeared uncertain about their positioning and responsibilities on the pitch.
It's a North London derby hat-trick for Ebere Eze! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/Hzr9hb5iaQ
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) November 23, 2025
The defensive double pivot of Palhinha and Bentancur proved particularly ineffective, receiving possession from their centre-backs on just two occasions during the opening period.
Both midfielders were easily bypassed for Arsenal's second goal and conspicuously absent when Eze claimed his subsequent strikes, exposing the fundamental flaws in Tottenham's tactical organisation.
Les Ferdinand delivered a withering assessment of Tottenham's display during his Super Sunday appearance, refusing to mince words about the visitors' abject performance.
"Tottenham were that bad today. It's embarrassing to watch. Halfway through this game I was hoping I could go in the box with Michael McIntyre. I didn't want to watch anymore," the former England striker declared.
Ferdinand placed the blame squarely on managerial decisions, stating: "I think the manager got his tactics wrong today. He came here to be negative and to sit back and try and hold Arsenal off, and I think that just sent out the wrong message to the players, because they just couldn't get out again."
Arsenal's Eberechi Eze was in brilliant form as the Gunners beat Tottenham 4-1
|REUTERS
The pundit emphasised the unacceptable nature of such a passive approach in this fixture. "You can't come to Arsenal in the North London Derby and not put everything on the line," Ferdinand concluded, adding: "Arsenal scored the first goal, and that was it. Tottenham were done."
Arsenal's remarkable 15-match unbeaten streak across all competitions stands in stark contrast to Tottenham's dismal form, with the visitors having secured victory in just one of their previous five fixtures. The defeat leaves Spurs languishing in ninth position, whilst the Gunners continue their relentless march at the top of the table.
Adding salt to Tottenham's wounds, Eze's summer transfer saga saw him reject a move to north London's white half after they had agreed terms with Crystal Palace. Arsenal's last-minute intervention secured the Nigerian's signature, a decision vindicated by his derby-day heroics.
When questioned about spurning Tottenham's advances, Eze dismissed the topic with five cutting words: "Let's not speak about that." The hat-trick hero preferred to focus on his answered prayers, having specifically prayed for a treble before the match.