Why Eze's North London show could be the spark in Arsenal's title run-in

With the dust settling in North London following another dramatic derby between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal, much of the talk rightly surrounds another standout performance from Gunners ace Eberechi Eze. 

One of the most interesting subplots to 2025-26 has been Eze's one-man mission to torture Tottenham , starting with his transfer snub last summer. 

However, in between his two displays against Arsenal's biggest rivals, questions have been aimed at the forward and his effectiveness on Mikel Arteta's team. 

So, after another derby day delight, will it now ignite a run of form for the England man that leads the Gunners all the way to the title and runs straight into this summer's World Cup? 

The scourge of Spurs 

Tottenham must be sick of the sight of Eberechi Eze, but it all could have been so different. 

Last summer, the 28-year-old was all set to join the white half of North London after leading Crystal Palace to FA Cup glory in 2025 and looking for a Champions League move as the next step in his career. 

Instead, he joined boyhood club Arsenal, after they counter-offered at the last minute, fulfilling a full circle moment for the player who was released by the Gunners when he was a teenager. 

What followed was a steady progress into the first team at The Emirates, which only truly exploded with the narrative in full force, in the first derby of the season. 

Eze netted three goals in the 4-0 win, becoming the first player in Premier League history to score a hat-trick in the North London derby and really rub salt in his pre-season snub. 

Not content with that milestone, he doubled down on compounding misery on Spurs by netting another two timely goals in Sunday's 4-1 victory, to already put himself in Arsenal's top three derby scorers in the Premier League era. 

The brace, however, wasn't just about getting another jab in at Tottenhan, because for Eze it could prove to be the turning point in what hasn't been the season he'd hoped for in between the games in North London. 

Not that Eze 

Eze's dazzling display against Spurs in October got fans in a spin about what was to come from their latest number 10, but the follow-up for the player and Arteta was somewhat of a disappointment. 

Since scoring his treble, the forward failed to register a single shot on target in the Premier League going into Sunday's game, and became more of a bit-part player in Arsenal's assault on four fronts. 

His appearance against Tottenham was only his second start in the league since October, with the manager preferring to go with captain Martin Odegaard in the number 10 role or more recently against Wolves, Bukayo Saka - much to the chagrin of Eze. 

"He was upset, even with me," boss Arteta said when asked about preferring Saka over Eze for Arsenal's trip to Wolves last week. 

"Because I didn't play him the other day from the beginning, and some of the decisions that I made. And I just have to understand how we're going to get the best out of him now."

The Spaniard got the perfect response. With Eze netting his sixth and seventh league goals of the campaign, ironically, they've all come against Tottenham and his former club, Crystal Palace. 

He's also contributed six assists across the season, with his latest pair coming in Arsenal's recent FA Cup win against Wigan. However, his performances have still come under scrutiny, as Arteta is uncertain on where to deploy his newest star when he everyone is fit. 

Earlier in the season, Eze was tried on the left, but after switching off defensively in December's 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa when he allowed Matty Cash to net the opener, it's something that hasn't been repeated and following that performance, he was benched for the next four games. 

Therefore, as shown at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Eze needs to be played in that same role, with Wayne Rooney stating on the podcast that he's a 'brighter spark' around the penalty area than compatriot Odegaard. 

That spark was relit on Sunday, and could it now lead to him becoming a main man in the club's bid for a first title in two decades? 

Leaving it late 

What is telling from Eze's display in North London, that is follows a pattern from the player, that he comes into his own during the final stretch of a campaign. 

Of the 40 Premier League goals that he's scored since moving to the top flight, 19 of them have come from the 30th game onwards - almost half. 

Last season, it was his run towards the end of the campaign that propelled Palace into an FA Cup final, and scored six times in the Eagles' last eight games. 

His latest brace could be the catalyst for a similar run in the final eleven rounds of fixtures, where Arsenal are crying out for a 'main man' to see off Manchester City and finally end their title drought. 

For all the excellence the Gunners have shown this campaign, the one thing they've missed has been a Mo Salah or a Phil Foden to really define their season and be the go-to guy when chips are down, and they need that inspiration. 

Eze has already shown he can be that guy at Palace, and now with his confidence back and the backing from his manager, the England star could fill that same role on an even bigger stage. 

He's already put Spurs to the sword this season, and now that has the potentianl spur him on to take down the rest of the Premier League, in what really could be Eze's time and Arsenal's triumph. 

 

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