Three things we learned from Arsenal win as Eberechi Eze announces his arrival and Piero Hincapie steps up | OneFootball

Eberechi Eze may have stole the show with a stunning hat-trick but Arsenal had some unsung heroes in the north London derby

Eberechi Eze scored a stunning hat-trick as Arsenal thumped Tottenham to go six points clear at the top of the Premier League.

The attacking midfielder found the net before the break, and struck twice in the second half to complete his hat-trick.

Richarlison pulled a goal back for Tottenham with an audacious, long-range strike, but it was in vain.

Simon Collings was at Emirates Stadium to see Arsenal in action…

Eze enjoys dream afternoon

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank joked before this north London derby that he did not know who Eze was.

Frank’s answer was said with tongue firmly in cheek, but this was a brutal reminder for Tottenham on the player they missed out on.

Hat-trick hero: Eberechi Eze

Arsenal FC via Getty Images

Eze tormented Spurs as he became only the fourth player in history to score a hat-trick in a north London derby.

The 27-year-old’s goals were all remarkably similar, too. Each time, he found the net from the edge of the box after showing quick feet.

Eze has been bright in patches since joining Arsenal for over £60million, however this was the moment he truly announced his arrival.

Growing up as a boyhood Arsenal fan, this would have been the game he dreamed of scoring in and it caps off a remarkable year for the playmaker.

In the space of six months, he has scored the winner in an FA Cup final and a hat-trick in his first ever north London derby.

There cannot be much more to tick off his bucket list, except perhaps lifting the Premier League in May?

Merino and Trossard unsung heroes

Eze will grab the headlines after this and the 27-year-old made sure that he had the match ball, too.

As Arsenal walked round the pitch at full time, lapping up the applause, Eze grabbed a ball and held it tightly.

One suspects that will have pride of place on his mantelpiece at home after an afternoon he will never forget.

Eze was not the only one to impress, though, in what was a dominant Arsenal performance.

The Gunners are still nursing several attackers back to full fitness, although they did, at least, have Gabriel Martinelli and Noni Madueke back on the bench today.

Unsung heroes: Mikel Merino and Leandro Trossard

Arsenal FC via Getty Images

Injuries have led to Arsenal leaning on some unlikely heroes.

The days of Mikel Merino leading the line looked like they were dead in the summer, but here he was doing it in the north London derby.

The Spaniard impressed and created the opening goal with a lofted pass that Trossard was able to finish off.

It was part of an excellent all-round performance, while Trossard had, arguably, one of his best games in an Arsenal shirt.

As well as scoring, the Belgian set up Eze’s third goal.

Hincapie steps up in Gabriel’s absence

Arteta’s biggest call going into this derby was who he would pick to replace Gabriel in the heart of Arsenal’s defence.

The Spaniard had three options: Cristhian Mosquera, Piero Hincapie or Riccardo Calafiori.

In the end, Arteta elected to go for Hincapie and in doing so, he handed the Ecuadorian his first league start.

In fact, before today, Hincapie had just 26 minutes of Premier League action under his belt because injury has disrupted his start to life in north London.

Impressive: Piero Hincapie

Arsenal FC via Getty Images

Not that you would have known it watching the defender in action.

Hincapie barely put a foot wrong all afternoon as he stepped up in the absence of Gabriel and justified his selection.

The 23-year-old came off minutes before the end to a huge ovation, and it was more than deserved.