Lucas Torreira Reveals Reason Behind Celebration Against Tottenham in North London Derby

Arsenal star Lucas Torreira has revealed that Gunners legend Robert Pires was the inspiration behind his celebration against bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspurs in the north London derby.

After scoring the fourth goal in Arsenal's 4-2 win over Spurs on Sunday, the Uruguayan midfielder ripped off his shirt as the Emirates Stadium erupted in jubilation. 

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After the game, Torreira said he made a promise to current Arsenal coach Pires that if he found the back of the net he would do exactly that.

"During the week we had been talking a lot, during the training sessions,” he told RedeTV (via The Mirror). "And I told Robert Pires that if I scored a goal I would take the shirt off. Surely he will remember it, because one of the days during the week I told him that. And well, when I scored a lot of things passed through my head,"

"A lot of happiness. So much sacrifice, so much work. And it’s good that all of this was reflected in the pitch."

Since his move from Sampdoria in the summer, Torreira has been somewhat of a revelation for Arsenal and is becoming a fan favourite already. 

The tenacious midfielder's all-action display in the derby drew praise across the board, with former Gunners star Martin Keown going as far to suggest Torreira is the best midfielder the club has seen since the days of Patrick Vieira.

“He may stand just 5'5 tall but that was a massive performance from Lucas Torreira,” the former Gunners defender wrote in his Daily Mail column.

“It was the best all-round midfield display I have seen in an Arsenal shirt since Patrick Vieira and Gilberto Silva used to run the show. Torreira and Vieira could not be more different in terms of size and stature but their drive and determination is exactly the same."

Arsenal travel to Manchester United for Wednesday night's Premier League clash, looking to extend their unbeaten run to 20 matches in all competitions.