They say form goes out of the window for a derby, but Arsenal proved that to be entirely untrue on Sunday afternoon.
Mikel Arteta’s side played host to Tottenham Hotspur, and instead of wilting under the pressure, they made the most of Liverpool and Manchester City dropping points by demolishing their bitter rivals.
The gulf in class was so vast that it looked like the Gunners were playing a League One side, and summer signing Eberechi Eze, who almost moved to the white side of North London, was unplayable.
The Englishman was untouchable from the first minute to the last, and therefore, fans should be delighted that Arsenal are already brewing a homegrown version of him.
Eze's performance vs Spurs
While it was a joke, Thomas Frank must regret asking “who” when asked a question about Eze in the buildup to the game, as while the entire Arsenal team played well, the former Crystal Palace star was nothing short of spectacular.
It almost felt as if the Englishman was on a mission to make the Spurs boss eat his words, as just three minutes in, he played an exceptional ball over the top that Declan Rice should have finished.
Then, 39 minutes later, with the Gunners already a goal to the good, he added a second thanks to some tidy footwork and a low-driven shot.
Just 30 seconds into the second half, the 27-year-old scored his second goal, once again driving the ball into the bottom corner, only this time with his weaker foot.
Now, for most players, a derby-day brace is more than they could even dream of, but the Greenwich-born maestro is not like most players, and in the 76th minute, he scored a third to make it 4-1.
It’s the first time a player has scored a hat-trick in the North London derby since Alan Sunderland in December 1978.
Overall, it would be fair to say Sunday’s game will always be remembered as the Eze derby, and should act as a springboard for the midfielder to really kick on this season.
And in more good news, the club might already have another homegrown version of the international ace brewing.
Arsenal's homegrown Eze
Arsenal have long been a team that prioritise and promote youth from within, with the greatest example of this in recent years being, of course, Bukayo Saka.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
The club now have another group of incredible youngsters coming through, including one who could develop into a homegrown Eze: Ethan Nwaneri.
Yes, while the 18-year-old might not develop to be just like the former Crystal Palace star, there are some unmistakable similarities.
For example, the Hale End gem is an incredibly skilful player who can and has played out wide, but is ultimately seen as someone who will develop into a sensational number ten.
Moreover, while he hasn’t been getting the minutes that so many expected or hoped he would this year, he’s still very young with plenty of time to develop and even then, he proved how talented he is last season.
For example, the “phenomenal” prospect, as dubbed by former professional Stephen Warnock, scored nine goals and provided two assists in 37 appearances, totalling 1378 minutes.
That works out to a goal involvement every 3.36 games, or more crucially, one every 125.27 minutes, which would be incredibly impressive if he were a seasoned professional and helps to justify Joe Cole’s claim that “he’s the most exciting footballer in England and maybe Europe.”
Appearances
37
Minutes
1378′
Goals
9
Assists
2
Goal Involvements per Match
0.29
Minutes per Goal Involvement
125.27′
Finally, on top of his output, the Enfield-born gem put up some sensational underlying numbers last year.
According to FBref, he ranked in the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Premier League for successful take-ons, the top 6% for total carrying distance, the top 8% for crosses and more, all per 90.
Ultimately, while he is still so young, Nwaneri’s ability to play out wide and as a ten, combined with his output and technical ability, means he could be Arsenal’s next Eze.
Forget Eze: £32m Arsenal star looked like prime Ozil and Odegaard vs Spurs
Eberechi Eze is not the only Arsenal star who deserves his flowers after north London derby win.
ByMatt Dawson