For fans and football betting markets alike, this north London derby carried huge weight in the title race and it was Eberechi Eze who once again delivered the decisive blow. Arsenal restored their five-point lead at the top of the Premier League with an emphatic win over Tottenham, sending a clear message to Manchester City and the chasing pack.
There had been real scrutiny on Mikel Arteta’s side following their midweek stumble at Wolves, where a two-goal advantage slipped away. With City closing the gap, the pressure was building. Spurs, under new interim manager, Igor Tudor, sensed an opportunity to disrupt both Arsenal’s momentum and the football betting narrative surrounding the title race. Instead, Arsenal demonstrated composure and quality in equal measure.
North London Derby Highlights
Full-time scenes after a big win at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium 📸
🔴 @Arsenal pic.twitter.com/0kILrhcrcb
— Premier League (@premierleague) February 22, 2026
Eze, who had already tormented Spurs earlier in the season, was at the heart of everything once again. He opened the scoring after 32 minutes, reacting sharply inside the area to convert from close range. Tottenham responded swiftly, with Randal Kolo Muani producing an impressive solo effort to level matters. But the parity was short-lived. Shortly after the break, Viktor Gyokeres restored Arsenal’s lead with a crisp right-footed finish from 20 yards, underlining his growing influence.
Crucially, Arsenal did not retreat into their shell as they had at Molineux. Instead, they maintained control and continued pressing. Just past the hour, Eze seized on loose defending to fire home his second and effectively put the contest beyond Spurs. The hosts offered effort but little cutting edge. Deep into stoppage time, Gyokeres overpowered Archie Gray to add a fourth, sealing a dominant victory that reinforced Arsenal’s credentials at the summit.
Arsenal Analysis: Eze Answers at the Perfect Moment
Eze’s recent form had dipped following his previous derby heroics, with limited starts and reduced minutes in recent weeks. But with England manager Thomas Tuchel watching on, the 27-year-old delivered when it mattered most.
After the disappointment at Wolves and with Manchester City applying pressure, this was precisely the kind of measured, authoritative display Arteta needed. Even when Spurs equalised, there was no sense of panic. Arsenal remained disciplined, composed and clinical. Gyokeres also answered his critics with two well-taken goals, adding another layer of attacking threat at a decisive stage of the campaign.
Spurs Analysis: A Harsh Reality Check for Tudor
Igor Tudor was clear about the scale of the challenge ahead after replacing Thomas Frank until the end of the season. This derby served as an immediate and sobering illustration of that task. Kolo Muani’s equaliser briefly raised belief inside the stadium but once Arsenal regained control early in the second half, Spurs struggled to compete. The gulf in quality was evident, particularly in key moments.
Tottenham remain 16th, just four points clear of the bottom three and Tudor’s focus now shifts to survival rather than rivalry. On this evidence, there is significant work ahead if Spurs are to steady their season and climb clear of danger.