EVERTON 0-1 ARSENAL: The Gunners show grit on Merseyside to get past tricky challenge and go back top of the Premier League thanks to Viktor Gyokeres’ thunderous penalty
When Viktor Gyokeres powered home what proved to be the game-winning penalty, Declan Rice marched over and indulged in a spot of finger-pointing celebration.
You could see what Rice was doing. Telling the £64million striker that his team-mates have got faith in him, believe in him. On an attritional night on Merseyside – when fluency deserted Mikel Arteta’s side – the Gunners needed a leader.
And when Arteta needs a leader, Rice is so often the man to step forward. Not only was Rice full of his usual physical indefatigability, in a low-quality contest, he was the best player by some distance.
And his contribution helped Arsenal to what was, in its own scrappy way, a statement win. It was a statement win because for the first time in a couple of months, Arsenal started a Premier League game in a position other than top.
If anyone thought that situation would give them an extra jot of urgency, they were badly mistaken.
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But after a quarter of an hour of what amounted to glorified walking football, at least Arsenal fashioned a couple of half-chances, the best sent into the stands why Martin Zubimendi’s left peg.
But even though they were hardly quick out of the blocks, Arteta’s side looked in little trouble against an Everton side missing a couple of key players.
And they were given a lovely helping hand by Jake O’Brien, who was, initially, fortunate to escape punishment for what looked like a shove on Viktor Gyokeres in the Everton six-yard box.
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Never mind, Jake clearly thought, a handball from the next corner will do the penalty trick. Bizarrely, as if to make sure, the Everton defender went with two hands and after referee Sam Barrott somehow missed the offence, VAR quickly put things right.
Gyokeres smashed home the penalty with such ferocity, it briefly took the goal-frame from its footings. Sure, it was only a penalty but, considering Gyokeres has struggled to adapt since his big-money move, it was struck with the conviction of a man who is not short of self-belief.
Mind you, this is a guy who, in domestic league competition, has scored 19 penalties on the spin. That his violently-hit spot-kick was the undoubted highlight of the first half told you everything.
While old boy Dominic Calvert-Lewin was tearing it up at Elland Road, Everton did not manage a single attempt on goal before the interval, hence a half-time expected goals figure of 0.0. It was grim stuff.
Not that Arsenal were in anything like top form, which was reason for a degree of hope amongst the home support and David Moyes. And Moyes’ men were unfortunate not to have their own chance from the penalty spot after William Salina got away with kicking the sole of Thierno Barry’s left boot.
Arsenal should have added insult to injury soon after, Declan Rice teeing up a sitter for Leandro Trossard, but the Belgian went for a more extravagant finish than was needed and his clipped effort clipped the post.
And the same post stood up to deny Zubimendi moments later as Arteta’s side regained control of proceedings that remained pretty turgid.
Their wastefulness in front of goal – Bukayo Saka unusually guilty of taking a few wrong options – meant the closing stages were a little bit more fraught than they needed to be but, in truth, the result was never in doubt.
Manchester City had thrown down the gauntlet and Arsenal and Rice had picked it up.
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Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package
Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £336 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
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