From derby hero… to derby headache.
Seven days ago, Eberechi Eze was the man of the moment — lighting up Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with a brace and reminding Arsenal fans why the club paid £67.5 million to bring him home.
On Sunday against Chelsea, the spotlight felt very different.
And Mikel Arteta’s body language said it all.
Despite trusting Eze with another start after his north London derby heroics, the Arsenal boss cut a visibly frustrated figure on the touchline as the England international struggled to influence a tense 2–1 win at the Emirates.
The contrast was stark.
Five of Eze’s six Premier League goals this season have come against Tottenham. Outside of those electric derby nights, consistency has eluded him. Against Chelsea, instead of building on momentum, he drifted.
He lasted the full 90 minutes — but rarely stamped authority on the game.
His most eye-catching moment? A speculative lob from the halfway line in the first half that failed to trouble the goalkeeper. Ambitious, yes. Effective, no.
In the final third, his decision-making faltered. Loose touches. Misplaced passes. Attacks that fizzled when they should have flourished. Arsenal eventually scraped over the line thanks to set-piece precision and David Raya’s late heroics — but the margin could have been far more comfortable.
Arteta’s frustration was noticeable.
On multiple occasions, cameras caught the Spaniard gesturing animatedly after slack touches from Eze. Arms raised. Instructions barked. The trust was there — but patience appeared thinner.
This is the dilemma.
Arteta kept faith with Eze following his Spurs masterclass, offering him something he has rarely enjoyed this season: consecutive league starts. It was an opportunity to cement himself during the decisive stretch of a title race.
Instead, questions resurfaced.
Wayne Rooney’s recent critique now feels uncomfortably relevant. The Manchester United legend argued that Eze must make himself “impossible to drop.”
“I don’t think he’s been good enough this season,” Rooney said. “The two Tottenham games have shined a big light on him but in other games I’ve watched him and not thought he’s been good enough.”
Rooney acknowledged the stop-start nature of Eze’s campaign — but insisted mentality and character should push him to demand selection through consistent excellence.
“Make it almost impossible for Mikel Arteta to leave you out,” Rooney urged.
Against Chelsea, that mission stalled.
To Eze’s credit, his pressing and work rate were far sharper than earlier in the season. There was no hiding. No shirking responsibility. But Arsenal’s creative heartbeat still feels more assured when captain Martin Ødegaard pulls the strings deeper.
Rooney summed it up bluntly: combine Ødegaard’s intelligence with Eze’s penalty-box instinct and you’d have a world-beater.
Right now, Arsenal have flashes — not fusion.
And in a title race this tight, flashes may not be enough.
Arteta must now decide: does he persist with Eze in search of rhythm? Or does he revert to the captain when every point feels decisive?
Arsenal are five points clear at the top. They are alive in every competition. But squad management in March is ruthless.
For Eze, the message is clear.
Derby brilliance wins headlines.
Consistency wins trust.
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