Arsenal answer title pressure with resounding derby win at Tottenham

LONDON – Arsenal roared back to a five-point lead at the Premier League summit and extended their north-London dominance to five straight derby victories after Eberechi Eze and Viktor Gyökeres each struck twice in a comprehensive 4-1 triumph at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

With only 10 fixtures remaining, Mikel Arteta’s side answered the weekend pressure applied by Manchester City, who trimmed the gap to two points with Saturday’s 2-1 defeat of Newcastle. Any anxiety that the Gunners might wane during the run-in surfaced when Randal Kolo Muani punished a 34th-minute Declan Rice error to cancel Eze’s opener, but the visitors responded with ruthless conviction.

Gyökeres, the Sweden striker signed from Sporting CP last summer, settled the contest with a driven 47th-minute effort and sealed it in stoppage time, racing clear to curl his 15th goal of the campaign and concluding a counter that showcased Arsenal’s pace and precision. Eze, who rejected a £60 million move to Spurs in favor of joining his boyhood club from Crystal Palace, now boasts seven league goals this season—five against Tottenham alone—after adding a close-range finish midway through the second half.

The result deepens Tottenham’s relegation worries. New head coach Igor Tudor, appointed after Thomas Frank’s departure earlier this month, watched his injury-ravaged squad—only 13 senior players were fit—fall four points above the drop zone. Spurs have not recorded a league victory since December and face a daunting trip to Fulham before a pivotal March 5 meeting with fellow strugglers Crystal Palace.

Arteta, by contrast, saw his team quell recent narratives of a late-season fade. Arsenal had dropped four points against Brentford and Wolves in the past 10 days, and Rice’s latest lapse continued an unwelcome trend of individual mistakes leading directly to opposition goals. Yet the manner in which Arsenal wrested control, peppering Spurs keeper Guglielmo Vicario throughout and limiting the hosts to sporadic breaks, underlined the gulf in both quality and belief.

Gyökeres’ brace may signal a turning point in his adaptation to English football. The 25-year-old’s first strike arrived at a pivotal moment, restoring the advantage before Tottenham could harness any momentum; his second displayed the composure many felt had eluded him since his high-profile transfer. Alongside him, Eze’s direct running and eye for goal tormented a back line that has now conceded 11 goals in two league meetings with Arsenal this season.

For Tudor, the challenge is stark: 11 matches remain to preserve Spurs’ top-flight status. Early industry and vocal support from the home crowd briefly hinted at a fresh start, but defensive frailties and a lack of cutting edge ultimately played into Arsenal’s hands. With West Ham, Nottingham Forest, Leeds and Palace all showing flickers of escape form, Tottenham’s next fixtures assume cup-final importance.

Arsenal, meanwhile, return to the Emirates buoyed by a statement success. City’s pursuit will intensify, yet the champions have been warned: Arteta’s squad, hardened by last season’s near miss, appear determined to carry their advantage deep into May and end a 22-year wait for the club’s 14th English title.

SEO keywords: