The highly anticipated clash at Goodison Park between Everton and Arsenal ended with a narrow 1-0 win for the visitors in the 17th round of the Premier League. The only goal of the match came in the 26th minute when Viktor Gyökeres converted a penalty, giving the Gunners the lead.
Arsenal’s forward Leandro Trossard had multiple chances to extend the lead but was thwarted by the woodwork, hitting the post on two separate occasions.
The standout performer of the match was undoubtedly Viktor Gyökeres, who not only scored but also had three attempts on goal and completed four successful passes.
Declan Rice was another significant contributor for Arsenal, completing an impressive 81 accurate passes throughout the game.
On the other hand, Everton’s manager, David Moyes, opted for a 4-5-1 formation with Jordan Pickford guarding the goal, supported by a backline of Jake O’Brien, James Tarkowski, Michael Keane, and Vitaliy Mykolenko. The midfield comprised James Garner, Tim Iroegbunam, Dwight McNeil, Carlos Alcaraz, and Jack Grealish, with Thierno Barry leading the attack.
Meanwhile, Mikel Arteta’s side took the pitch in a 4-3-3 setup, featuring David Raya in goal; Jurriën Timber, William Saliba, Piero Hincapié, and Riccardo Calafiori in defense; Martin Odegaard, Martín Zubimendi, and Declan Rice in midfield; and Bukayo Saka, Viktor Gyökeres, and Leandro Trossard up front.
The match was officiated by referee Samuel Barrott.
Next up for Everton will be an away match against Burnley, while Arsenal will host Brighton and Hove at home.
With this victory, Arsenal climbs to 39 points, retaining their position at the top of the table, while Everton remains on 24 points, sitting in 10th place.
Substitutions for Everton
74’ 2H – Dwight McNeil was replaced by Tyler Dibling and Carlos Alcaraz by Merlin Röhl.
Yellow Cards for Everton:
25’ 1H – Vitaliy Mykolenko (Dissent towards the referee) and 38’ 1H – James Tarkowski (Repeated fouls)
Substitutions for Arsenal
64’ 2H – Viktor Gyökeres was substituted for Gabriel Jesus and Thierno Barry for Beto; 79’ 2H – Leandro Trossard was replaced by Gabriel Martinelli; 87’ 2H – Martin Odegaard exited for Mikel Merino.
Yellow Cards for Arsenal:
55’ 2H – Viktor Gyökeres (Unsporting behavior) and 46’ 2H – Gabriel Martinelli (Unsporting behavior)