Arsenal delivered a north London derby performance for the history books on Sunday, overpowering Tottenham Hotspur 4-1 away from home to tighten their grip on the Premier League title race.
In the aftermath, manager Mikel Arteta was quick to spotlight the mentality behind a response that turned midweek frustration into derby dominance.
Powered by two goals apiece from Eberechi Eze and Viktor Gyokeres, Arsenal restored a five-point lead at the summit and secured their biggest league win away in this fixture since 1978.
In the process, they also made it four straight away victories over Spurs for the first time in 70 years — a stat that underlined the scale of the statement.
Reflecting on the emotional swing from the late draw against Wolves to derby delight, Arteta framed the win as a defining moment in the season’s narrative.
“I’m so proud, so proud of the boys, the team, and I’m giving some context as well about the situation,” he said.
“We need to understand the beauty of this sport, that a few days ago against Wolves, we drew a match in the last kick of the game, and watching it back, there’s no explanation how this happened.”
Arteta admitted the emotional toll of that setback, before praising how his players channelled it into fuel.
“And it feels like you are at the bottom, and you’re not good enough, and you are angry, and upset, and ashamed. But then it’s okay. Each chapter is part of the journey, part of the history of the season.
“Now, how are we going to use that to define our season? That was the reaction that we wanted.”
Crucially, the Arsenal boss stressed the mindset required to walk into hostile territory and thrive.
“So how people are going to now show their real attitude, and how we’re going to decide to approach the next game against our biggest rivals, a really difficult place, but an opportunity as well to make every Arsenal supporter very, very proud.
“The reaction was incredible. In moments of adversity, difficulty, it’s really good to understand why you surround the world. And I really enjoyed, actually, the last few days.”
On the pitch, Arsenal were ruthless. Gyokeres struck early in the second half and again late on, while Eze’s brace ensured Spurs never found a way back. Arteta reserved particular praise for the Swedish striker’s all-round contribution.
“I think it’s probably the best game that he (Gyokeres) has played for us.
“The most complete of the two goals by his overall performance, I think, was incredible, and Ebs as well.
“I mean, now he has another incredible experience playing against them, and I’m very happy because he deserved it.”
As the final whistle blew, attention turned to the travelling Arsenal supporters, who once again turned Seven Sisters Road into a sea of red.
“They really enjoyed it,” Arteta smiled.
“And that’s why I think we need to stay calm and understand that we are all very emotional.
“We want it so much, these boys are worth believing in them and being next to them because they are a special group.”
The message from the manager was clear: celebrate together, but stay grounded.
“We really need to enjoy this week. There were some tough moments the last few days, and we go through them together.
“And now I think we have to enjoy the rest of the week.”
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