The result at Emirates Stadium kept the Gunners six points clear of Chelsea at the top of the Premier League.

Arsenal had beaten Spurs in each of their previous three league derbies, but Eze's display lifted the run to four, their longest winning streak in this fixture this century. The 27-year-old, who grew up supporting Arsenal, arrived from Crystal Palace on 23 August for a fee rising to 67.5 million pounds. Arteta had described the signing as a "game-changer", and Eze repaid that faith with authority.

Before kick-off he had scored only once in the league for Arsenal, but he struck twice either side of half-time with clinical accuracy and capped the treble with a composed finish in the 76th minute. His goals followed a powerful reminder of his big-game temperament: his winning strike for Palace in last season's FA Cup final against Manchester City.

Arteta praised Eze's attitude, revealing the midfielder had pushed for extra training sessions during the international break.

"He wanted to improve, he wanted to do more," Arteta said. "When a player has that talent, and their desire is at that level, these moments arrive. He fully deserves it. He has brought an aura that this team needed."

Arsenal's dominance began early. Declan Rice forced Guglielmo Vicario into a save inside three minutes, while Cristian Romero blocked Mikel Merino and Bukayo Saka threatened repeatedly.

The breakthrough arrived in the 36th minute when Merino found Leandro Trossard, whose strike deflected off Micky van de Ven. Five minutes later, Eze created space in the box and fired in Arsenal's second via another slight touch off Van de Ven.

Within 40 seconds of the restart, Eze collected Jurrien Timber's pass and bent a precise finish beyond Vicario. Spurs briefly responded when Joao Palhinha dispossessed Martín Zubimendi and Richarlison hit a stunning long-range goal, their first shot of the match. But Eze killed the contest with his third, gliding past Destiny Udogie before finishing calmly.

Eze had another effort saved, and the home crowd roared as Arsenal extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to 15 matches. Spurs, meanwhile, remained ninth after winning only one of their previous five competitive fixtures.

Arteta insisted the title race was far from over, despite Liverpool's slump and Manchester City's defeat the previous day. "It is a good start after the international break," he said. "We wanted momentum again. A six-point lead in this league is not much. We need to stay consistent."

Eze, who scored for England against Latvia and Serbia earlier in the autumn, now looks increasingly certain to earn a place in Thomas Tuchel's 2026 World Cup squad for next summer's tournament in North America.

Arteta believes there is more to come. "Hopefully this gives him confidence," he said. "He can win us a game at any moment. We need to play close to his qualities, close to the box."

On derby day, Eze did exactly that, and Arsenal surged on under Arteta's command.

Napoli chase Diego Maradona tribute with big-game statement vs Qarabag