Eberechi Eze etched his name into club folklore with a stunning hat-trick. The former Crystal Palace forward, who had joined Arsenal in a high-profile summer transfer that Tottenham had pursued but ultimately missed out on, delivered a performance of effortless poise and clinical finishing. His third goal, in particular, stood out as a highlight of deceptive simplicity and sheer class, leaving Spurs defender Destiny Udogie in his wake.
The sequence began with a surging counter-attack down Arsenal's left flank. Leandro Trossard, thriving in his advanced role, exploited space behind Tottenham's defense to collect a precise through ball and advance toward the penalty area.
With Udogie desperately tracking back, Eze positioned himself intelligently on the edge of the box, receiving Trossard's deft pass under pressure. What followed was a masterclass in body feinting: Eze abruptly halted his run, drawing Udogie into a committed challenge. The Italian full-back, off-balance and sliding in vain, lost his footing entirely, leaving Eze with a clear pocket of space.
In one fluid motion, Eze shifted the ball onto his preferred right foot and whipped a low, curling shot into the bottom far corner, beyond the despairing dive of goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario. The strike, clocked in the 76th minute, sealed Eze's treble and Arsenal's dominance, making it the fourth hat-trick in North London Derby history and the first since 1978.
Photographs from the moment capture the scene in vivid detail: Eze mid-celebration, arms outstretched amid a sea of roaring Arsenal supporters, while Udogie lies prone on the turf.
Eze's display extended Arsenal's lead at the Premier League summit to six points, infusing Mikel Arteta's side with the "aura" of title contenders. As Arteta noted post-match, Eze brings "a certain joy" to the team, a sentiment echoed in his effortless Brazilian-like flair.
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