Arsenal pulled off a dramatic deadline-day coup by prising Eberechi Eze away from Tottenham Hotspur’s grasp, completing a £60 million ($79 million) move from Crystal Palace. On Sunday, the 27-year-old lifelong Arsenal supporter delivered an explosive return on that investment, firing a sensational hat-trick in a 4–1 demolition of Spurs in his first North London derby.

Eze has long shown a love for the big occasion—most notably with his match-winning strike for Palace in last season’s FA Cup final against Manchester City. But before this weekend, his impact at Arsenal had been modest, with just one Premier League goal to his name. He chose the fiercest fixture of all to announce himself.

The England midfielder struck twice with crisp, controlled finishes from the edge of the box—one before and one after the break—before sealing his treble in the 76th minute, drilling another unstoppable effort past Guglielmo Vicario.

Arsenal already boasted an array of attacking firepower even before Eze arrived, but his performance on Sunday, which lifted Arsenal six points clear at the top, prompted manager Mikel Arteta to suggest the newcomer may be the missing piece in his frontline.

“Things happen for a reason,” Arteta said. “After the international break, he had two days off, and on the first day he was already asking to train. He wanted extra work, he wanted answers, he wanted to improve. When a player has that talent and that level of hunger, these moments follow.

“He absolutely deserves it. From the day he arrived, he’s brought something different to this team. It’s a joy—an aura this group needed.”

Eze’s international form has also strengthened his case for Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad, following goals for England against Latvia and Serbia in the autumn. If he consistently reaches the heights he displayed against Tottenham, he could head to North America as a Premier League champion.

“Hopefully this gives him a huge boost, for himself and the team,” Arteta added. “He can win games at any moment. His ability to finish in so many ways means we need him close to the box—we have to play to his strengths.”

Arsenal entered the international break frustrated after surrendering two points to Sunderland through a stoppage-time equaliser. But the emphatic derby victory, which extended their unbeaten league run to nine matches, offered the perfect reset.

With Liverpool stumbling and Manchester City also beaten on Saturday, Arsenal now look strong contenders to capture their first Premier League title since the Invincibles season of 2003–04.

Still, Arteta refused to indulge any talk of coronation.

“We wanted to regain momentum, and a London derby is the best place to start,” he said. “It’s a good step, but in this league a six-point lead isn’t much. We’re doing well, we’re consistent—and that’s what matters.”