Eberechi Eze already needed no introduction but his Premier League hat-trick against Tottenham Hotspur blasted his renown into the stratosphere.
Arsenal won 4-1 in the first North London Derby of the 2025/26 season and new signing Eze was the difference, firing three terrific finishes beyond Guglielmo Vicario in the Spurs goal to tighten the Gunners’ grip at the top of the Premier League table.
Eze’s celebration is a demonstration of faith
The 27-year-old had already played and scored against former club Crystal Palace when Arsenal thrashed local rivals Spurs, who were understood to be close to signing Eze before Mikel Arteta and the Gunners took their former academy player home.
With four goals to his name in two fixtures bursting with storylines, eagle-eyed fans have been watching Eze’s celebrations closely.
The more things change, the more things stay the same. Eze has eased into life at Arsenal and looks every bit the player who left Selhurst Park in the summer transfer window. His celebration is another constant.
Eze, who was recognised in FourFourTwo's list of the best attacking midfielders in the world, marked his second goal against Spurs by placing a hand across his mouth while his eyes beamed out a smile, a stifled faux-giggle perfect for any derby goal.
But it was the first goal, Arsenal’s second after the opener from Leandro Trossard, that drew out the celebration most associated with the London-born winger.
After three touches and a wicked zip past Vicario to make it 2-0, Eze peeled away and paired a knee slide with the familiar gesture comprising two index fingers overlapped at right angles in a cross shape.
He celebrated with the same symbol in his time as a Palace player and it has previously been confirmed that it’s a heartfelt tribute to his Christian faith.
Eze showed against Spurs that he’s happy to mix it up when he’s scoring in twos and threes and a previous double against the team that missed out on his services offered some insight into the England international’s varied expressions of joy.
He attracted attention by switching to a telephone gesture in May, smack-bang in the foothills of the summer transfer window and on the eve of the Eagles’ historic FA Cup win against Manchester City.
“After both goals, he pulled out his trademark celebration of holding his two index fingers in the shape of a cross,” reported the Evening Standard.
“A number of different celebrations followed the second goal, including the ‘call me’ gesture, holding his hand to his ear in the shape of a phone.
“Palace sources have indicated that while Eze always uses the crossed fingers celebration after scoring, other celebrations tend to just be whatever comes to his mind in the spur of the moment.”
Eze and Arsenal will take on Chelsea in another London derby when Premier League action returns this weekend.
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