An eventful 10 days for Arsenal ended on a word of pleasure. It is fascinating how soccer modifications.
After a draw with Brentford after which a dismal drop in factors towards Wolverhampton Wanderers, the Gunners had a chance to show issues round towards Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday night time.
On paper, although, this did not seem to be the straightforward mission it had been every week in the past. Mikel Arteta’s facet have misplaced confidence and Spurs at the moment are led by Igor Tudor after the sacking of Thomas Frank.
Nevertheless it actually made issues look simpler. With Ebelesi Eze and Victor Gokeres main the cost, Arsenal proved that north London is certainly crimson, defeating their arch-rivals 4-1 and lengthening their lead on the high of the Premier League to 5 factors as soon as once more.
How Arteta’s tactical tweaks beat Spurs
This week has been a little bit of an experiment for Arteta. However whether or not it labored is debatable.
Arsenal have been initially anticipated to make use of Myles Lewis-Skelly in midfield towards Wigan Athletic within the FA Cup, however the teenager was shuffled to left-back after Riccardo Calafioli was injured within the warm-up. Bukayo Saka began in midfield in his place.
It appeared like an impressed resolution, one which Arteta replicated a couple of days earlier at Molineux. Though the England famous person discovered the again of the online, Arsenal lacked high quality within the vast areas and appeared bereft of many concepts within the ultimate third.
That each one modified towards the Spurs. Saka returned to the fitting wing and Leandro Trossard returned to the left, giving Eze a uncommon begin within the Premier League.
In truth, it was the 27-year-old’s second begin in a league sport in 2026, having been despatched off halfway by the 1-1 draw at Brentford.
On this event, the previous Crystal Palace man performed like a person with some extent to show. After the match, Arteta mentioned: “He was even upset with me as a result of the opposite day I did not play him from the beginning and a number of the selections I made. Now he is beginning to perceive how I can get essentially the most out of him.”
Nicely, he actually did not falter on the finish of this match. Eze and the supervisor shared a heat embrace at full-time after the summer time’s big-money signing scored two extra objectives towards Spurs and accomplished a hat-trick towards the Lilywhites on the finish of 2025.
The alliance between Eze and Gökeres appears to be working, and the boss has lastly discovered a option to profile each of them. Fact be advised, it was the previous who performed a extra central position because the Swedes peeled off and plunged into the ditch. It labored fantastically.
The striker additionally scored twice and seems to have lastly made his approach into English soccer after becoming a member of from Sporting in the summertime.
Gokeres has scored eight objectives in his final 12 video games. No participant within the Premier League has scored extra objectives than him in all competitions this yr.
Huge failure? Let’s assume once more. The centre-forward now seems to be like an Arsenal participant from any angle.
What Gokeres’ type means for the Arsenal workforce
Sporting Arsenal colours hasn’t been simple for the Sweden worldwide. Since final Wednesday’s draw with Wolves, that has meant Gökeres has not had a single shot on course in 60% of his league video games since signing.
So how did the story change on Sunday? He continues to develop heading into 2026, however this was his finest efficiency to this point on the well-known Kohaku. Not solely did he rating two objectives, he additionally recorded essentially the most touches (41) ever in a Premier League match. Now it is time to introduce myself.
Nonetheless, this manner is actually unhealthy information for Gabriel Jesus, Arsenal’s third-highest earner.
The Brazilian, who’s reportedly on a reported £265,000-a-week wage, has put in some sturdy performances since getting back from an extended harm spell. He scored twice towards Inter Milan and was on the scoresheet within the cup sport towards Wigan simply over every week in the past.
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However in actuality, Jesus just isn’t as merciless as Gokeres. His approach could also be aesthetically pleasing and exquisite to look at, however he now appeared to have strayed removed from it in lots of matches.
The 28-year-old has solely discovered the again of the online twice in 11 league video games, however reality be advised, he seems to be utterly completed in an Arsenal shirt now.
His cameo off the bench towards Wolves final week appeared to verify simply that reality, with the previous Manchester Metropolis man changing a superb late probability to offer Arsenal all three factors.
Jesus held the ball on the left facet, and as a substitute of driving in the direction of objective or making an help, he simply shoved the ball at his toes. Shortly after that incident, Wolves scored an equalizer and the Gunners dropped a priceless level within the title race.
Gabriel Jesus’ profession in England | ||
|---|---|---|
season | sport | the objective |
2016/17 | 11 | 7 |
2017/18 | 42 | 17 |
2018/19 | 47 | twenty one |
2019/20 | 53 | twenty three |
2020/21 | 43 | 14 |
2021/22 | 41 | 13 |
2022/23 | 33 | 11 |
2023/24 | 36 | 8 |
2024/25 | 27 | 7 |
2025/26 | 18 | 5 |
There have been too many moments for the like-minded Jesus since his return to the primary workforce, and his cameos off the bench should not the form of gamers who may also help Arsenal win the league this season.
When he comes on, he lacks Gokeres’ physicality and defensive capacity. He loses the ball too simply and would not press as a lot in assault as his colleagues.
When Jesus first arrived at Emirates Stadium, a lot was promised to him. He actually had a greater begin to life in north London than his present quantity 14, scoring 5 objectives in his first eight league video games.
That stage of efficiency has now abandoned him, and that is unhealthy information for Jesus now that Goqueres is lastly choosing up velocity at Arsenal. Mix that with Kai Havertz’s promising return in current weeks and the Brazilian’s future within the English capital seems to be bleak. If each can keep wholesome between now and the top of the season, there isn’t any motive to not begin them.
Do not anticipate him to nonetheless be with the Gunners subsequent season.
Akin to Eze and Gokeres: £45m star had his finest sport at Arsenal vs Spurs
Arsenal received 4-1 towards Spurs on Sunday night time.
