Tottenham Vs Arsenal: Gyokeres and Eze each score twice as Arsenal restore five-point lead
Arsenal secured a 4-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur on 22. 02. 2026, a result that matters because it restored a five-point lead at the top of the Premier League. The north London derby, a key chapter in the title race, featured two goals apiece from Viktor Gyokeres and Eberechi Eze and was played at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium before 61, 439 fans.
Tottenham Vs Arsenal: match facts and scoreline
The final score was 4-1, Gyokeres and Eze both contributing two goals for Mikel Arteta's side while Randal Kolo Muani scored Tottenham's solitary goal. Eze put Arsenal in front from close range after 32 minutes and added another either side of the interval; Gyokeres matched him with two finishes of his own. The fixture at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium drew an attendance of 61, 439 and took place on 22. 02. 2026. A live commentary blog for the game was noted as unavailable during coverage.
Mikel Arteta on response after Wolves and team attitude
Mikel Arteta framed the performance as a reaction to recent disappointment, saying the players' response after surrendering a two-goal lead at Wolverhampton Wanderers midweek showed desire and dominance. He described the moment as painful but praised the squad's attitude, noting that immediately after the Wolves result he recognised the team would respond because he had seen their reaction. Arteta singled out Declan Rice: after making an error, Rice's subsequent performance demonstrated personality, courage and the right attitude.
Viktor Gyokeres and Eberechi Eze: finishing and selection
Arteta described Gyokeres' display as possibly his best for the club, highlighting overall play, efficiency and the goals he scored. On Eze, Arteta explained the decision to start him by pointing to recent positive performances against Tottenham and to a tactical shift he had made in a previous game where Eze was substituted at half-time against Brentford; that change, Arteta said, showed how players can react when they have a point to prove.
Igor Tudor's debut, Randal Kolo Muani and match context
The fixture was Igor Tudor's first match in charge of Tottenham Hotspur. Tudor's introduction as interim manager coincided with a difficult afternoon for his side; Randal Kolo Muani scored Spurs' goal but Arsenal's class and threat proved decisive. Phil McNulty, writing from Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, described Eze as Tottenham's tormentor again and noted that Spurs had hoped Tudor's appointment would increase pressure on Arsenal in the title race.
Title implications: five-point lead and the marathon ahead
The victory restored Arsenal's lead at the top of the table to five points. That margin followed a period in which Manchester City had narrowed the gap with a win over Newcastle United on the preceding Saturday evening. Arteta cautioned that the title race remains a long marathon with domestic cup commitments and Champions League fixtures also to come, urging a measured, one-at-a-time approach.
What makes this notable is how directly the midweek collapse at Wolves produced a visible corrective effect: Arsenal's response in the derby both repaired immediate damage and reinforced a psychological advantage at a pivotal stage of the season. Eze's recurring impact in north London fixtures — he had already produced a hat-trick in a 4-1 derby in November and was on the verge of joining Tottenham before Arsenal completed a £60m deal with Crystal Palace in August — adds a further thread to the rivalry.
In sum, the 4-1 result on 22. 02. 2026 was a comprehensive statement by Arsenal, one that combined decisive finishing from Gyokeres and Eze, a solitary reply from Kolo Muani, and the significance of Tudor's first day in charge for Tottenham. The match will be recorded as a corrective response after Wolves and a momentum-restoring day for Arteta's squad in the Premier League.
Note: a live blog for the fixture was shown as unavailable during the match window.
