Arsenal Player Ratings vs. Tottenham: Eze Brace Shares Spotlight in Derby Thrashing

Two of Arsenal’s summer signings stole the show in Sunday’s north London derby.

Eberechi Eze haunted Spurs again. | Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images

Arsenal’s title charge got back on track on derby day, as Eberechi Eze and Viktor Gyökeres each struck twice in a 4–1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur.

The Gunners’ sustained malaise supplied a false sense of hope down Seven Sisters Road, as Igor Tudor took charge of his first game as Spurs manager following the long overdue sacking of Thomas Frank.

However, the Croatian was powerless to prevent the Gunners from asserting their dominance in this fixture once more. Spurs’ long list of injury absentees proved insurmountable, with the visitors dominating the contest from start to finish—even if they offered the hosts a sniff after Eze opened the scoring.

There was no collapse this time around, though, as Mikel Arteta’s men saw out their lead expertly, with Viktor Gyökeres and Eze striking in the second half to ensure the league leaders got the win they thoroughly deserved against their relegation-threatened rivals.

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The Problem That Won’t Go Away

Rare Declan Rice mistake leads to a Spurs equaliser 24 seconds after Eberechi Eze's opener. pic.twitter.com/DZ12S5KhoV

— Sports Illustrated FC (@SI_FootballClub) February 22, 2026

Declan Rice lamented Arsenal’s "self-inflicted wounds" after Wednesday’s crushing 2–2 draw at bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers, as a defensive miscommunication between David Raya and Gabriel allowed the hosts to equalise in stoppage time.

So, after Eze scored his fourth north London derby goal of the season midway through Sunday’s first half, Rice was keen to remind his teammates of the task at hand. He got the Gunners huddled as the away end rejoiced, screaming "composure!" to those around him as Tottenham prepared the restart.

However, Rice clearly needed to do a better job of encouraging himself to follow the mantra. Almost immediately, the midfielder surrendered possession in a terrible position and allowed Randal Kolo Muani to score his first Premier League goal.

Barely a minute separated Rice’s huddle and his subsequent error, meaning Arsenal have now conceded swiftly after scoring in three successive games. Such lapses, especially from those Mikel Arteta relies upon the most, will only lead to disappointment come May, but it didn’t cost them in the derby thanks to their two summer signings.

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Arsenal Player Ratings vs. Tottenham (4-2-3-1)

Eze on derby day... again. | Catherine Ivill/AMA/Getty Images

*Ratings provided by FotMob*

GK: David Raya—8.2: Third game in a row without a clean sheet for Raya, but the Spaniard wasn’t to blame as he was in midweek. A quiet outing until he clawed a Richarlison effort off his line.

RB: Jurriën Timber—7.6: The Dutchman’s poor run of form continued in N17, and he was hauled off before the hour mark on a booking. He did record the assist for Gyökeres’s first goal, though.

CB: William Saliba—7.4: Saliba perhaps could’ve done more to deny Kolo Muani’s opener, but the Frenchman was otherwise untroubled.

CB: Gabriel—7.6: Got away with a couple of moments up against Kolo Muani, with the pair enjoying a good tussle throughout. This wasn’t the Brazilian’s cleanest performance.

LB: Piero Hincapié—7.9: A handy attacking outlet, but Hincapié was relatively restrained here. Wasn’t troubled all that much defensively.

DM: Declan Rice—6.8: After handing Spurs their equaliser, another Rice error was almost punished by Richarlison, which could’ve set up a nervy finale.

DM: Martín Zubimendi—7.2: Serenely went about his work at the base of midfield. Subtle movements helped Arsenal bypass Spurs’ man-oriented press.

RW: Bukayo Saka—7.0: Tottenham were intent on not allowing Saka to take over the derby, but their concerted effort allowed others to prosper.

AM: Eberechi Eze—8.9: You do wonder what Tottenham Hotspur did to this man in a previous life? Eze’s stellar form against the Lilywhites continued in Sunday’s derby, scoring twice to follow up his hat-trick in the reverse fixture.

LW: Leandro Trossard—6.8: The quietest of Arsenal’s attack. Trossard’s radar was off throughout, but he is a canny customer.

ST: Viktor Gyökeres—9.0: As good as he’s been in an Arsenal shirt. The Swede took his goals superbly, confirming the Gunners’ fifth north London derby win in succession.

SUB: Cristhian Mosquera (57’ for Timber)—7.2: Mosquera was a stable presence in Arsenal’s backline, and a nuisance for Djed Spence when he engaged him high up the pitch.

SUB: Gabriel Martinelli (76’ for Trossard)—6.1: Wasn’t a major influence for the final 15 minites.

SUB: Martin Ødegaard (77’ for Eze)—7.0: Ended the contest by assisting Gyökeres’s second goal.

SUB: Noni Madueke (90’ for Saka)—N/A

Subs not used: Kepa Arrizabalaga (GK), Ben White, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Christian Nørgaard, Gabriel Jesus, Riccardo Calafiori.

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What the Ratings Tell Us

Gyökeres restored Arsenal’s lead at the start of the second half. | Catherine Ivill/AMA/Getty Images

• Arsenal supporters have longed for the ”magic moments” Mikel Arteta promised Eberechi Eze would provide, and they were treated to an abundance in Sunday’s derby. It wasn’t just the goals; Eze’s performance was laden with quality, allowing Arsenal to break open Tottenham’s man-to-man press.
• Viktor Gyökeres has been the source of ridicule for much of his debut season in north London, despite a decent goal return. Kai Havertz’s absence has forced the Swede to perform, and he hasn’t quite hit the mark as of late. Against Tudor’s aggressive man-marking, Gyökeres enjoyed himself with Radu Drăgușin in close proximity. The rugged Romanian defender eventually lost control of the duel after a strong start. If the striker can assert himself as he did on Sunday, Arsenal’s stuttering attack will undoubtedly re-emerge.

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The Numbers That Explain Arsenal’s Dominant Derby Win

Arsenal were far superior in the derby. | Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC/Getty Images

• Despite racking up 20 shots and creating six big chances, Arsenal were still efficient in front of goal. They scored four from an xG haul of 1.93.
• Gyökeres’s two goals accounted for just 0.22 of the Gunners’ total xG, depicting just how good his finishes were.
• The away side had a few issues with Tottenham’s man-marking approach, but they were able to take full control in the second half, and they ended the game having enjoyed 61% of the possession.

Statistic	Tottenham	Arsenal
Possession	39%	61%
Expected Goals (xG)	0.76	1.93
Total Shots	6	20
Shots on Target	5	7
Big Chances	0	6
Passing Accuracy	73%	80%
Fouls Committed	17	11
Corners	2	5

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