Frank Leboeuf praised Arsenal’s Eberechi Eze for unlocking Viktor Gyokeres in the North London Derby win over Spurs. Both scored braces, with Eze’s pressing and movement earning plaudits as Arsenal extended their lead in Premier League title race.
Arsenal’s emphatic 4-1 victory over Tottenham in the North London Derby has drawn praise from former France defender Frank Leboeuf, who singled out Eberechi Eze for his influence on teammate Viktor Gyokeres. Speaking on ESPN FC, Leboeuf said Eze’s presence behind the striker allows Gyokeres to play freely and efficiently.
Leboeuf explained that Arsenal’s attack looks sharper when Eze starts, highlighting his pressing and direct runs into the box. “I’m very fond of Eze in the way that he pushes himself to go to the goal. Odegaard, whereas, is somebody who organises or distributes in the game. What I like about Eze is that because he does that, he allows Gyokeres to be free and be more efficient as well. It suits the forward line better when you have Eze in the team,” he said.
Eze and Gyokeres combine in derby
Eze and Gyokeres both scored braces at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, sealing Arsenal’s dominant win on February 22. The former Crystal Palace star admitted after the match that he and Gyokeres had spoken ahead of the derby about their partnership. “He’s got so much energy. We spoke about it before, it’s infectious when you have a player like that and he’s working so hard. It makes you want to continue to work as hard as you can to see what he’s given. He’s an inspiration for all of us working towards what we want to achieve,” Eze said via the club website.
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Gyokeres echoed the sentiment, revealing he had rewatched Eze’s earlier hat-trick against Spurs before the derby. “We do that a few times in training. I watched Eze’s goals against this lot in the last game, so I looked to replicate it a little bit. It was a nice goal,” the Swedish forward told ArseBlog.
Arsenal’s title race position
The win pushed Arsenal five points clear of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table, though Pep Guardiola’s side have a game in hand against Crystal Palace. With ten matches remaining, the Gunners’ attacking partnership between Eze and Gyokeres could prove decisive in their pursuit of the title.
Leboeuf’s remarks underline the growing recognition of Eze’s impact since joining Arsenal. His ability to press, drive forward, and complement Gyokeres has given Mikel Arteta’s side a new dimension in attack. For Gyokeres, the freedom to operate with Eze behind him has already translated into crucial goals in high-pressure fixtures.
As the season heads into its final stretch, Arsenal’s blend of energy and efficiency in the forward line will be central to their hopes of holding off City and securing the championship.
