Eberechi Eze Starts and Scores Twice as Arsenal Take Control in North London Derby
Eberechi Eze started the north London derby and scored twice as Arsenal moved into a commanding position against Tottenham in the second half. The timing matters because the goals and in-game management shifted momentum and forced a reaction of substitutions and crowd disruption.
Eberechi Eze's start and goals
Eze opened the scoring with a volley on 32 minutes to put Mikel Arteta's side ahead, only for Randal Kolo Muani to level two minutes later after stealing possession from Declan Rice. Early in the second half Viktor Gyokeres restored Arsenal's advantage with an impressive strike, and Eze extended the cushion on 61 minutes by following up a rebound from a Bukayo Saka effort to make it his second of the game.
The match was paused at least once for a blue flare thrown onto the pitch. Arteta responded with changes: Gabriel Martinelli replaced Leandro Trossard and Martin Odegaard returned to the field in place of Eze. Tottenham, under Igor Tudor, made multiple alterations of their own, bringing on Richarlison and Dominic Solanke while withdrawing Kolo Muani and Conor Gallagher in a bid to stem the tide.
Context and escalation
Eze's starting selection in this derby arrives amid a wider story of an inconsistent season for the £67. 5m signing from Crystal Palace. His hat-trick in Arsenal's 4-1 win over Spurs in November had been hailed as a breakthrough: in that performance he registered six shots and seven touches inside the opposition box. Yet three months on he has been used sparingly, starting only one of Arsenal's last 11 Premier League matches as the manager searches for a balance between control and creative spark.
There have been flashes since—Eze produced a high-risk, high-reward display in an FA Cup win over Wigan that impressed Arteta—but he was left among the substitutes for other league fixtures and was substituted at half-time in a 1-1 draw with Brentford after a poor showing. Tactical choices such as deploying Bukayo Saka at No 10 have also limited Eze's opportunities, a selection that has come at Eze's expense on multiple occasions.
Immediate impact
The direct effect of Eze's goals was immediate: his 32nd-minute volley gave Arsenal the lead and forced Tottenham to press, creating the turnover that allowed Muani to equalise. Gyokeres' second-half strike then reasserted Arsenal's control, and Eze's 61st-minute finish restored a two-goal buffer and appeared to sap home momentum. The match environment reflected that shift—into the final 10 minutes fans were already drifting from the stands—and the game required pauses for crowd disturbances.
Managerial reactions followed the swing in control. Arteta's substitutions reintroduced Martin Odegaard and added width with Martinelli, while Tottenham's introduction of attacking options signalled a change of plan to chase a comeback. The pairing of tactical changes and Eze's decisive interventions materially altered the flow of the derby.
Forward outlook
What makes this notable is that Eze has now added to a growing record against Spurs: he has scored six goals in eight appearances against them, underlining a recurring effectiveness that contrasts with his broader run of limited starts. The immediate milestones to watch are how Arteta manages Eze's minutes in upcoming league fixtures and whether tactical adjustments that created space for him—such as a striker dropping into midfield, an approach used previously to free Eze—will reappear.
For now, Arsenal hold the momentum created by a starter who has both shown match-winning capability and struggled for consistent selection. The club's handling of his role in the weeks ahead will determine whether this outing becomes a turning point or an isolated example of the form that warranted a sizeable transfer fee last summer.
