Arteta reveals why Eze was upset before Spurs display

Mikel Arteta Eberechi Eze reaction dominated the aftermath of Arsenal’s 4-1 win over Tottenham, with the Gunners boss admitting the midfielder was “upset” with him before delivering another decisive display in the north London derby.

Eze struck twice as Arsenal secured their fourth consecutive away victory against Spurs, taking his remarkable tally in this season’s derbies to five goals. With a previous hat-trick in November, the 27-year-old has made Tottenham his preferred opponent.

Arteta revealed that Eze’s omission from the starting XI in the midweek draw against Wolves had sparked a response.

“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.”

Eze began on the bench against Wolves as Arteta opted to deploy Bukayo Saka in the No 10 role. The decision clearly fuelled his motivation ahead of the derby.

Despite only joining Arsenal last summer, Eze now boasts eight goals in his last five appearances against Spurs. Only Robert Pires and Emmanuel Adebayor have scored more Premier League goals for Arsenal against Tottenham.

Arteta admitted the mood within the squad had been raw following the 2-2 draw at Wolves.

He described feelings of being “angry, upset, ashamed” but framed the setback as a turning point rather than a derailment.

“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. It’s much bigger than that. That's our passion.”

The derby victory demonstrated the response he demanded, with Eze at the centre of it.

“He came here for a reason and we need those moments from these players,” Arteta added. “You just have to look at his face and the way he was in the dressing room with a big smile. His eyes are expressing everything that you need to.”

Arsenal will aim to carry derby momentum into the next round of Premier League fixtures as the title race tightens. Arteta’s challenge now is maintaining emotional balance while maximising the sharp edge shown against Tottenham. Much will depend on whether the derby response marks sustained consistency or a one-off surge.

Can Eze’s north London dominance inspire Arsenal’s final push for silverware?