For this season at least, the North London derby belongs to Eberechi Eze and no one else. The 27-year-old has scored five goals across the two meetings between Arsenal F.C. and Tottenham Hotspur F.C. this campaign, underlining his decisive influence in English football’s fiercest rivalry.
Back in December 2025, Eze delivered a performance for the ages at the Emirates Stadium, inspiring Arsenal to a commanding 4–1 victory. It was a display filled with authority, composure and creativity a performance that instantly etched his name into derby folklore. Softfootball had predicted a tight 2–1 contest, but few anticipated such a dominant outcome.
Fast forward to February 22, 2026, and Eze once again proved decisive, scoring a brace away from home to seal another statement performance.
There was a sense of inevitability when he was named in the starting XI only his second league start of the calendar year. Remarkably, his opener marked his first shot on target since November’s earlier derby meeting, bringing the narrative full circle.
According to comments shared by Fabrizio Romano via his official X handle, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta acknowledged Eze’s determination:
You could see that Eze wanted to prove something. He was upset even with me, because I didn’t play him the other day from the beginning… …and some of the decisions that I made. I have started to understand how we’re going to get the best out of him now
Earlier in February, Arteta had publicly defended Eze following a subdued display in a 1–1 draw against Brentford F.C., noting the physical challenge of adapting to a new team and system.
The manager stressed that integration takes time, especially in demanding Premier League fixtures.
With limited game time during the winter months, this derby presented a pivotal opportunity. After showing explosive athleticism for his first goal, Eze rediscovered the flair that defines him the feints, nutmegs and quick combinations that had been missing in recent weeks.
Across both derbies, Eze has not only delivered goals but shifted momentum, silenced doubters and reasserted his place as a decisive figure in Arsenal’s campaign.
