Eberechi Eze’s double seals 4-1 derby win; Liverpool snatch last-gasp victory over Forest via Mac Allister.
LONDON – Eberechi Eze once again proved to be Tottenham Hotspur’s nemesis, scoring twice as Arsenal cruised to a 4-1 victory in the north London derby on Sunday, restoring their five-point cushion at the top of the Premier League.
The pressure was mounting on Mikel Arteta’s side following back-to-back draws against Brentford and Wolves, which had allowed Manchester City to close the gap. However, Arsenal responded emphatically, spoiling the debut of interim Tottenham boss Igor Tudor.
Eze, who famously opted to join Arsenal from Crystal Palace over Spurs in the summer, opened the scoring just after the half-hour mark with a close-range finish. Tottenham leveled almost immediately through Randal Kolo Muani, but Viktor Gyokeres put the Gunners back in front early in the second half with his most significant goal since joining the club.
Eze then added his second of the afternoon after Bukayo Saka was denied by Guglielmo Vicario, before Gyokeres capped off the scoring in stoppage time.
“I think you have to bring context to the situation and this is the beauty of football,” Arteta said. “We lift everyone up immediately. Now we have to show what we are made of. That is about attitude and how you respond to a difficult moment.”
The win gives Arsenal breathing room in their quest for a first league title in 22 years. For Tottenham, the defeat leaves them just four points above the relegation zone. “It was a difficult game. It was a lesson,” admitted Tudor.
Mac Allister’s Late Heroics Rescue Liverpool
At the City Ground, Liverpool needed a moment of magic deep into stoppage time to snatch a 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest. Alexis Mac Allister slammed home the rebound after Virgil van Dijk’s header was saved in the 97th minute, much to the despair of Forest’s new manager Vitor Pereira.
The result was harsh on Forest, who had looked set to earn a valuable point. Mac Allister had already seen a goal ruled out for handball in the build-up.
“I love scoring, I love winning, so in that sense I think it’s a really good day,” said Mac Allister. “But on the other hand, I don’t think we played very well. There’s plenty of things we need to improve.”
The win lifts Liverpool to sixth, level on points with Chelsea and Manchester United and within six points of Aston Villa in the race for Champions League qualification.
Elsewhere in the Premier League:
- Fulham climbed into the top half of the table with a 3-1 win at Sunderland, courtesy of a Raul Jimenez double.
- Crystal Palace eased fan discontent at Selhurst Park as Evann Guessand’s 90th-minute winner secured a 1-0 victory over 10-man Wolves.
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