Arsenal: Mikel Arteta reveals why Eberechi Eze was 'upset' with him before north London derby response | OneFootball

Eberechi Eze has scored five goals across the two north London derbies this season

Eberechi Eze justified his selection in the Arsenal team against Tottenham

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Mikel Arteta revealed Eberechi Eze was "upset" with him before producing another match-winning display for Arsenal in the north London derby.

With Eze also scoring a hat-trick in the north London derby in November, five of the 27-year-old's six Premier League goals this season have come against Spurs.

Eze started on the bench on Wednesday night for the draw with Wolves, as Arteta preferred Bukayo Saka in the No10 role.

The Arsenal manager felt Eze was keen to send a message to him in the derby.

"He scored five goals in the last two games against them, which is extremely difficult to do," Arteta said.

"But I could see that he 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.

"And I start to understand how we're going to get the best out of him now."

Eberechi Eze celebrates scoring for Arsenal in the north London derby

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Eze is a boyhood Arsenal fan but was close to joining Tottenham last summer.

He eventually got the move he most wanted as the Gunners swooped in at the last minute, and it is now eight goals in his last five appearances against Spurs.

"You just have to look at his face, and the way he was in the dressing room with a big smile, and his eyes are just expressing everything that you need to," Arteta said.

"He came here for a reason and we need those moments from these players. I think he and the front players today, they've done what we expect from them."

Arteta admitted he and his players felt "angry, upset, ashamed" after the draw with Wolves.

However, after reframing those dropped points as an opportunity to prove a "turning point and to make ourselves better", Arteta was proud of the character his players showed to keep their title bid on track.

"This is not a job," Arteta said.

"When you are disappointed about what you've done in your job, you don't feel that way.

He came here for a reason and we need those moments from these players. I think he and the front players today, they've done what we expect from them

Mikel Arteta

"It's much bigger than that. That's our passion, it's the purpose that we have, the objective that we have, it's what we love doing, and then it's very painful. But as well it can be very rewarding.

"And today, football shows you that. Keep going, whatever you do, you win, keep going. If you lose, drop [points], keep going, because it is worth it, especially with the people that we have in this club."