Gunners rediscover fire in rout

Arsenal shove Spurs towards drop zone

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Arsenal's Eberechi Eze, second left, scores their third goal past Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.

(REUTERS)

Mikel Arteta said Arsenal’s 4-1 demolition of north London rivals Tottenham was a cathartic release for his Premier League leaders after 72 hours in hell.

Arteta’s side restored their five-point advantage over second-placed Manchester City thanks to doubles from Eberechi Eze and Viktor Gyokeres at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

It was a much-needed boost for the Gunners after they blew a two-goal lead in a 2-2 drawat bottom of the table Wolves on Wednesday that took the destiny of the title out of their hands.

Arsenal had been left devastated by their second successive draw and Arteta admitted it was hard to lift his players in the aftermath ofa result that means City will take the title if they win their last 11 games.

But Arteta and his coaching staff gradually revived Arsenal's flagging spirits, firing them up so effectively that they tore Tottenham to shreds for the second time this season.