Player ratings as Eze & Gyokeres fire Arsenal to thumping North London derby win | OneFootball

Tottenham Hotspur suffered an embarrassing 4-1 defeat in Sunday’s North London derby as Arsenal consolidated their place at the top of the Premier League table.

Spurs sacked underperforming manager Thomas Frank in the aftermath of a 2-1 home loss to Newcastle United, but the team continued to struggle under new management.

New boss Igor Tudor could not have imagined a more daunting task at the beginning of his tenure, as his out-of-form side had to deal with title-bidding Arsenal, who entered the round in desperate need of points.

Back-to-back draws against Brentford and Wolverhampton Wanderers, coupled with Manchester City’s home win over Newcastle United last night, whittled down the gap between the sides to only two points.

With that in mind, much more than just bragging rights in the latest edition of the iconic North London derby was at stake, and the Gunners took the field heavily motivated to take an early lead.

However, they had to wait until the 32nd minute to break the deadlock, as Eberechi Eze returned to the scoresheet for the first time since scoring a hat-trick in November’s reverse fixture.

Arsenal’s celebrations lasted for only a couple of minutes, with Randal Kolo Muani drawing Spurs level after robbing Declan Rice of possession on the edge of the penalty area.

Mikel Arteta’s side enjoyed a brilliant start to the second half, finding a crucial second goal through Viktor Gyokeres, who slotted the ball past Guglielmo Vicario with laser-sharp precision.

Things soon went from bad to worse for Tudor. Eze completed his brace just after the hour mark, putting clear daylight between the teams to set the tone for Arsenal’s fourth consecutive away win over Tottenham for the first time since 1955.

Spurs tried to bounce back, but David Raya pulled off a miraculous save to clear Richarlison’s backheel off the line, denying the Brazilian forward his first league goal since December.

Gyokeres poured more misery on Arsenal’s underachieving rivals deep into second-half stoppages, securing his second Premier League brace in four matches with a superb finish.

Arteta’s men have temporarily restored a five-point lead over second-placed Man City, though the Cityzens still have a game in hand.

On the other hand, Tudor’s dismal touchline debut extended Tottenham’s winless run in the Premier League to nine games, keeping them only four points clear of the drop zone.

Tottenham Hotspur (3-5-2)

Guglielmo Vicario (6/10) – His defenders let him down today. However, he wasn’t at his best either.

Micky van de Ven (5/10) – An atypically disjointed performance from the Dutch centre-back. Caught out of position several times while insecure in possession.

Radu Dragusin (7/10) – Though he fared much better than Van de Ven, his effort was in vain. Lost track of Gyokeres for Arsenal’s second goal.

Joao Palhinha (6/10) – Forced to play out of position, the Portuguese ace did well, given the circumstances.

Djed Spence (3/10) – Nowhere to be seen in attack, the Englishman endured a disappointing game, as Bukayo Saka frequently got the better of him down the flank.

Pape Matar Sarr (6/10) – The Africa Cup of Nations winner emerged as Spurs’ best midfielder today, consistently attempting to inject energy and drive into the engine room.

Yves Bissouma (4/10) – Tasked with anchoring the midfield, he struggled to impose himself, often arriving a step late to challenges and failing to provide the defensive shield Spurs desperately needed.

Conor Gallagher (4/10) – It was difficult to recall a single meaningful contribution during the 62 minutes he spent on the pitch.

Archie Gray (5/10) – Despite a decent first-half showing, the youngster couldn’t deal with Leandro Trossard after the break. Did nothing noteworthy on the opposite side of the pitch.

Xavi Simons (4/10) – Too eager at times, he often forced the issue in possession, leading to rushed decisions and misplaced passes that disrupted the home side’s attacking rhythm.

Randal Kolo Muani (7/10) – Undoubtedly Tottenham’s standout performer. He carved out the goal through sheer determination and directness, and continued to press relentlessly even after the goal.

Substitutes

Dominic Solanke (4/10)

Richarlison (3/10)

Mathys Tel N/A

Arsenal

David Raya (7/10) – There was little he could do to stop Kolo Muani’s effort. Made a decisive save at the beginning of the second half.

Jurrien Timber (7/10) – Had a field day in defence as Spence and Simons rarely tested him. Decent attacking contribution from the former Ajax man.

William Saliba (7/10) – Calm and collected on the ball, the Frenchman helped his side build from the back with confidence.

Gabriel Magalhaes (8/10) – A commanding presence at the heart of Arsenal’s defence, he was dominant in the air and assertive in the tackle.

Piero Hincapie (7/10) – Rock-solid defensively, he kept Gray quiet throughout and rarely allowed him any breathing room, though he offered little going forward.

Eberechi Eze (9/10) MOTM – Five goals in two North London derby appearances are the highlight of the Englishman’s first season at the Emirates Stadium. Too hot to handle today.

Martin Zubimendi (6/10) – Refused to take risks in possession and had little impact in the final third. Make up for that with an impressive work rate.

Declan Rice (6/10) – His set-piece deliveries created chaos inside Tottenham’s penalty area. However, that mistake cast a shadow on his performance.

Leandro Trossard (6/10) – Relatively quiet in the first half, the diminutive winger sprang to life after the break but still had nothing to show for it.

Bukayo Saka (7/10) – Kept Spence on his toes the entire game but couldn’t find the final ball. Came close to scoring midway through the second half.

Viktor Gyokers (9/10) – Fought valiantly for every ball and thumped home a delightful finish from outside the box. Capped off an emphatic performance with a well-taken goal.

Substitutes