Arsenal beat Tottenham Hotspur 4-1 thanks to a hat-trick from Ebere Eze, moving them six points clear at the top of the Premier League.
Arsenal hero Ebere Eze has ruthlessly denied rumors of a move to Tottenham Hotspur. The 27-year-old became the first player in 50 years to score a hat-trick against Spurs on Sunday, completing a match-winning treble.
His two second-half goals spelled disaster for the Gunners’ rivals, months after Spurs failed to snatch him from Crystal Palace. Leandro Trossard forced the Spurs defenders into a nap as the Belgian international closed in behind them and took the lead with a goal just before half-time.
Eze scored Arsenal’s first goal of the afternoon and Arsenal’s second in a five-minute salvo as Mikel Arteta’s side capitalized on a dominant first half.
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Months after Spurs failed to secure a signature from Crystal Palace, the 27-year-old added two second-half goals to complete the treble and inflict misery on the Gunners’ north London rivals.
But the Arsenal hero, who achieved one of his boyhood dreams on Sunday, did not want to be drawn into the summer transfer drama that despised Spurs at the top of the Premier League, Eze said: “Let’s not talk about it.”
He continued: “It was a very good day, it was a fun day. I’m happy to be able to help the team. It’s special, you know?”
“Special person, I’m grateful again. I prayed it, I prayed a hat trick, I’m grateful. That was my prayer today and God delivered it.”
Arsenal have won the race to sign Eze, beating their north London rivals within striking distance. The Gunners signed the 27-year-old in a deal worth £60m.
Eze had previously claimed he was ready to move from Palace to Spurs, but a move to Arsenal was a no-brainer if an offer came in from his boyhood club.
As quoted by The Athletic, he said: “I was ready to go to Tottenham, but from the moment Arsenal came it was always them.
“My first (senior) game against Arsenal was special, it was something I had dreamed of for so long that it almost seemed unreal.
“I played for Arsenal from the age of eight to 13 and it was always in the back of my mind that I wanted to go back. It felt like a dream come true.”
This was an important win for Arsenal as they not only earned bragging rights against their rivals as they certainly took advantage of their Premier League rivals’ blunders.
Liverpool’s woes worsened with further setbacks in their title defense, while Newcastle United demoralized Manchester City with a 2-1 win at St James’s Park.
Eze’s treble and Trossard’s opening goal have given Arsenal six points at the top of the Premier League, heading into a busy period before things get tougher over Christmas.
A few days after their Champions League showdown with Bayern Munich, they will travel to Stamford Bridge next weekend where they will take on second-placed Chelsea.
