Arsenal surged six points clear at the Premier League summit following a commanding 4-1 triumph against Tottenham Hotspur at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday evening.
The Gunners capitalised on defeats for both Manchester City and Liverpool on Saturday to strengthen their position as title favourites with an emphatic North London derby victory.
Eberechi Eze produced a stunning individual display, netting three times to become the first player to achieve a hat-trick in this fixture since Alan Sunderland in 1978.
Leandro Trossard had given Arsenal the lead before Eze's treble sealed a comprehensive win that leaves Mikel Arteta's side seven points ahead of third-placed Manchester City and eleven clear of defending champions Liverpool.
Thomas Frank described Tottenham's performance as 'extremely painful'
|REUTERS
Richarlison's spectacular long-range effort provided minimal consolation for the visitors in what proved a chastening afternoon.
Thomas Frank accepted full responsibility for the defeat in his post-match interview with BBC Match of the Day, describing the result as "extremely painful" and apologising to supporters for his team's display.
"Very difficult afternoon. Bad performance. It's extremely painful to stand here after that game. We can only apologise to the fans for not performing better," the Spurs manager said.
The Danish coach acknowledged his side's failure to compete, admitting they "didn't succeed to be aggressive enough" and "didn't win the duels" throughout the match.
"I take always the full responsibility for the performances. That I need to look back to," Frank stated, before adding: "No matter how painful it is, and of course this is the most painful defeat of the season, there are things we can take out of this game."
The England international's treble carried extra weight given his summer transfer saga, when he chose Arsenal over Tottenham despite the latter's persistent pursuit.
Eberechi Eze scored a hat-trick as Arsenal thrashed Tottenham 4-1
|REUTERS
The 27-year-old had been close to joining Spurs from Crystal Palace before making a last-minute call to Mikel Arteta to enquire about Arsenal's interest, ultimately securing a £60 million move to the Emirates.
His decision to reject Tottenham in favour of his boyhood club proved vindicated with a masterful display that saw him become only the fourth player to score a hat-trick in the North London derby.
The attacking midfielder's performance highlighted what Spurs missed out on, particularly as Xavi Simons, signed instead of Eze, struggled to make an impact after coming on at half-time.
The match began with Arsenal dominating possession, and Eze nearly created an early breakthrough when his delicate chip found Declan Rice, whose volley was saved by Guglielmo Vicario.
Arsenal's pressure eventually told in the 36th minute when Mikel Merino's perfectly weighted pass released Trossard, who spun brilliantly before finding the net with help from a deflection.
Five minutes later, Eze doubled the advantage after receiving Rice's pass, weaving past multiple defenders and firing low past Vicario.
Frank's defensive 3-4-3 formation failed to contain Arsenal, prompting a half-time switch that saw Xavi Simons replace Kevin Danso.
However, just 38 seconds after the restart, Eze struck again with a precise left-footed finish.
"I think it's fair to say it's been an ongoing theme"
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Thomas Frank on Spurs' lack of creativity ⚪ pic.twitter.com/VN1jydknJF
Richarlison's remarkable 45-yard lob briefly reduced the deficit, but Eze completed his hat-trick in the 76th minute with another clinical strike.
Arsenal's victory maintains their exceptional home record against Tottenham, having suffered just one defeat at the Emirates in 33 league meetings since 1993.
The result leaves Arteta's team ideally positioned ahead of Wednesday's Champions League clash with Bayern Munich, before a crucial Premier League encounter at second-placed Chelsea next weekend.
Frank faces mounting scrutiny with his team's away league record now blemished after previously being unbeaten on their travels this season.
The former Brentford manager must navigate a challenging fixture list, starting with Wednesday's Champions League trip to Paris Saint-Germain.
Tottenham then host Fulham in what Frank acknowledged as a must-win fixture, before visiting Newcastle and welcoming his former club Brentford in potentially decisive matches for his future.