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Well, THAT particular international break, DIDN’T feel as long as it usually does.

I’m still glad that it’s the last international break, for a while now. (At least 3 months.)

No more rude interruptions, no more unnecessary risk of injury, to key players, in nothing games.

Just pure, unadulterated… uncensored, incomparable, full-blooded, no holds barred, a million miles a minute, Premier League football.  YESSSS!!!

What better game to bounce back in, than the North London Derby?!

We host Tottenham at The Emirates Stadium, in the first North London Derby of the season.

I hope our dusty, trophy starved neighbours, wiped their feet, before stepping into the arena, of their superiors.

Arteta won’t need to get the players up for this one, as I’m sure they’ll be a laser focus, to take all 3 points.

UNFORTUNATELY, Gabriel Magalhaes sustained an injury while playing for Brazil, during the international break.

His presence in defence will be missed, and his attacking prowess from set-pieces, will be missed even more.

It’s time for others to step up! This is why The Arsenal have assembled a squad with such depth.

Arteta must reach into the armoury, check weapons, and ammo, and ensure we’re armed and dangerous, for this next run of fixtures.

The returning players will give us a huge boost, but also give Mikel Arteta a team selection headache, that I’m sure he welcomes. There’s no paracetamol needed.

Prior to kick-off the players would’ve been fully aware that both Liverpool, and Mancheatster.. Excuse me, I mean.. Man-CHESTER City, lost their respective games, and it was an opportunity to increase our lead at the top of the table.

As if the game wasn’t big enough already, it was made to be GARGANTUAN!

The team news is always something I look forward to, but this particular team-sheet… I waited for with bated breath. I needed to know which of our walking wounded, were fit enough to make the bench.

Well, let me begin with the starting line-up.

David Raya in goal, Timber at right-back, Saliba, and Hencapie, central. Hencapie handed his first Premier League start, and has a chance to nail down a regular place in the first 11, while Gabriel’s out injured.

Calafiori continued at left-back… and was thankfully able to shake off the previous injury scare, while playing for Italy.

In the midfield, it was Rice, and Zubimendi. Ahead of them, it was Saka on the right, Eze central, and Trossard on the left.

Mikel Merino was again deployed up front, in the absence of Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz, and Viktor Gyokeres.

Gabriel Martinelli, and Noni Madueke, now fit again… made the bench. It was so good to see the bench looking so strong. Both players have been in excellent form this season.

We started the match positively, and made our intentions known in the opening minutes, with a shot from Declan Rice, that was saved by the Tottenham goalkeeper.

Vicario still hasn’t fully recovered from the trauma he suffered, when Ben White undone his gloves, last season. (HAHAHA)

He’s had a nervous disposition, ever since. He’s somewhat of a whimsical goalkeeper, and I’m so happy he plies his trade, at Tottenham. (HAHAHA!!)

Tottenham started defensively, as expected. They talk a good game, but they’re scared of us… and it showed.

We smelled their fear, and inhaled it deeply into our lungs, like we’d been starved of oxygen.

Tottenham were unable to cope with our movement, and quick passing. They doubled-up on Saka, but that just allowed more space for other players.

In the 36^th minute, Trossard exploited that space, after a wonderfully timed run, that was only matched by a sumptuous, chipped pass, by Mikel Merino.

Trossard controlled the ball expertly, and shot on the swivel. A slight deflection on the shot, took the ball past the hapless keeper. A beautiful goal!! 1-0 to the Arsenal, and an early reminder to Tottenham, that North London is ALWAYS red.

Another reminder was forced down Tottenham throats, just 5 minutes later.

In the 41^st minute, Timber put the ball in the box… Rice played a lovely first time ball to Eze, who beat two Tottenham players, before drilling the ball home. A brilliant goal! 2-0 to the Arsenal!!

Eberechi Eze scores in his first ever North London Derby… and the fact that Tottenham almost signed him, rubs salt into gaping wounds.

Tottenham looked punch drunk, and couldn’t even muster a single shot on the Arsenal goal, in the entire first half. (HAHAHAHA!!)

They were unsteady on their feet, stumbling towards defeat, vision blurred, breathing heavily, and not able to protect themselves, from a knockout blow.

Arsenal went in at the interval, 2-0 up.

It was less than a minute into the second half, when Timber squared the ball to Eze, on the edge of the box… and Eze struck the ball low, and hard, with his left foot. No chance for the keeper. A quite superb goal from Eze, and certainly… the aforementioned, knockout blow.

3-0 to the Arsenal!! A brace for that man Eze! Did I mention that it’s his first ever North London Derby? …I know I did.

When the third goal went in, I could hear the Tottenham hearts breaking. The melody made my eardrums smile… and the look of despair on the players’ faces, was a thing of beauty.

We continued to dominate every aspect of the game, but in the 55^th minute… against the run of play… Zubimendi was dispossessed in midfield, and the ball broke to Richarlison. He spotted David Raya off his line, and chipped him, from about 40 yards out. It was an excellent goal. One of the best consolation goals, I’ve ever seen. 3-1 now the scoreline. (YUCK)

Tottenham’s goal took a little gloss off a sparkling performance from Arsenal… and in the 76^th minute, we did something about it.

Merino played a ball through to Trossard, and he squared the ball to Eze, again…on the edge of the Tottenham box. Eze calmly let the ball run across his body, and then stroked the ball home with his right foot. A fantastic goal!! 4-1 to the Arsenal… and Tottenham’s humiliation, was back at optimum levels. Balance had been restored to the universe.

A hat-trick for Eberechi Eze, in his first EVER….North London Derby. In case you forgot.

He’s the first Arsenal player to score a hat-trick, in the North London Derby, since Alan Sunderland did it, back in 1978.

A scintillating performance from Eze, and I’m sure we have more performances like that to look forward to.

The game finished 4-1, but it could’ve easily of been 6 or 7-1.

Eze alone could’ve got 4 or 5, and Saka was close with a couple of good shots.

Saka had an excellent game, considering he had 2-3 Tottenham players around him, at all times. He still managed to drive forward, and take players on, and consistently played dangerous passes.

I have to also mention Piero Hincapie, because he put in an exceptional performance.

He made tackles, won headers, had great composure on the ball, and didn’t allow the occasion to overwhelm him.

Noni Madueke was introduced late on, for Trossard… and even later, in the 88^th minute, Nwaneri came on for Merino… Mosquera for Hinacpie, and Lewis-Skelly came on for Calafiori.

It was a superb Arsenal performance, and we now have the small matter of a home tie against Bayern Munich, in the Champions League…. but until then…let’s enjoy this Derby win.

Let’s ensure we’re unrelenting, when bantering Tottenham fans. Bellow out those bragging rights, chant the scoreline, and inform them Eze got a hat-trick… in case they missed it.

Show no mercy for Spursy.

They’re FOREVER in our shadow. They get battered everywhere they go…. and they ARE in fact, Tottenham in disguise… even though they’re Tottenham.

North London is…. RED.