Arsenal’s Golden Night in the North London Derby: Izzy Ezi's Hat-Trick Lights Up Emirates

In a night Arsenal fans will remember, the table-toppers asserted their dominance in the North London derby by thrashing Tottenham 4-1, a display of technical quality, tactical intelligence, and sharpness on Sunday night in the Premier League’s twelfth round.

At the Emirates, Izzy Ezi wasn’t just the star; his historic hat-trick came against the side he nearly joined a few months earlier, a twist that made the evening even sweeter for the home supporters.

Arsenal approached the game with composure, letting their methodical buildup unfold, while Tottenham coach Thomas Frank attempted to pin them with a flexible 3-4-3, yet Arsenal’s tempo proved too much to handle and they dictated the rhythm from the start.

Arsenal built their play from wide areas, moving the ball quickly between lines; the early exchanges carried a tense edge, but once they found the keys to breaking a deep-lying block, they pressed high, shifted gears, and converted their chances with surgical efficiency.

Turning Point

In the 36th minute, Leandro Trossard received a perfectly weighted pass from Mikel Merino and, after a tidy touch, clipped a left-footed shot through the traffic and into the net, a goal that unleashed Arsenal’s growing pressure.

The Belgian’s strike unsettled Tottenham, and Izzy Ezi seized the moment. In the 41st minute, from the same zone around the edge of the box, the Englishman found space, controlled the ball, and fired a powerful strike into the near top corner, effectively sealing a first-half lead for Arsenal.

The first half stats told a story: Tottenham hadn’t managed a single shot on target by Raya’s goal — the second such instance this season after the defeat to Bournemouth — while Arsenal’s attacking fluency suggested more goals could follow.

Tottenham’s defensive organization showed cracks under sustained pressure, and Arsenal’s calm, compact build-up punished them at crucial moments, underlining the difference in precision between the two sides on the night.

Change That Didn’t Work

Halftime brought a tactical reshuffle from Tottenham, shifting to a 4-3-3 with Xavi Simons entering the fray, but the alteration produced little immediate effect. Arsenal needed only 35 seconds into the second period to extend their lead, underscoring how quickly the momentum shifted in the home side’s favor.

The second half saw Arsenal maintain high energy, press with purpose, and control crucial zones on the pitch. Ezi’s movement and instinct repeatedly opened spaces, and Merino’s distribution kept the tempo relentless, reinforcing Arsenal’s dominance as the game progressed.

Stunning Goal to Save Face

Tottenham tried to respond, but their uphill battle remained and the decisive moment came later when the match opened up further. Tottenham’s resolve wavered as Arsenal continued to press and probe, culminating in a moment that would echo through the rivalry for years to come.

A move from deep in Arsenal’s half found Ezi again on the edge of the area; he squared the ball to a teammate, who laid it back, allowing Ezi to fire a low, precise shot that found the corner and completed his historic hat-trick — the fourth ever scored in this fixture across decades of meetings.

In the closing stages, Arsenal kept the ball and Cashed in late, while Spurs could not fashion meaningful chances to erase the scoreline. The final whistle confirmed a comprehensive win for Arsenal and left Tottenham facing a stern reality check.

Arsenal’s performance sent a message: this is a squad that believes in its identity, can win in a variety of ways, and knows how to make a derby tilt in their favor on the night. They now head into a challenging week against Chelsea, with momentum and confidence at a high level.

Before kickoff, there were concerns about Gabriel Magalhães’s absence, but the defensive unit held firm and the team’s depth was evident as new signings settled in quickly, notably Piero Hincapié, whose calm and adaptability helped shore up the backline.

In sum, Arsenal’s expenditures and additions appear to be paying off, and if this form continues, the league title race could look different by spring. A night to remember for Arsenal fans, and a reminder that the North London Derby is back to being a showcase for high-stakes football.

Punchline 1: If football ever runs a bank, Arsenal just made a clean hat-trick of deposits in Tottenham’s account — zero risk, all style.
Punchline 2: Spurs left with a lesson in geometry: their defence tried to form a wall, but Arsenal kept drafting new angles until the goal was a straight line to the net.