Everton 0 - 1 Arsenal [L]

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A heavily depleted Everton squad take Arsenal at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday night after The Gooners got pushed off top spot by Manchester City's win this afternoon.

It should be a huge night for Everton, welcoming former Premier League leaders Arsenal to the Hill Dickinson Stadium for the first time. 

Jack Grealish starts and Merlin Rohl makes his return from injury on the bench as Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall misses out. The midfielder picked up a hamstring injury against Chelsea last weekend.

The Blues will also be without Jarrad Branthwaite and Seamus Coleman, while Iliman Ndiaye and Idrissa Gueye are now unavailable having joined the Senegal squad for Afcon. 

Two goalkeepers on the bench, just in case, along with Dibling and Aznou, both still struggling for game time from the Boss. 

Mikel Arteta is without Cristhian Mosquera, Ben White, Gabriel, Kai Havertz and Max Dowman for tonight’s game.

First Half

The visitors kicked off but Everton kept playing it back to Pickford for the long punt upfield to try and confound Arsenal. A great challenge by Keane on Gyokeres got the juices flowing early on as both sides started in a pretty cagey manner. 

Grealish looked to release Mykolnko down the left but his ball was poorly overhit.  It was nearly 10 minutes of back and forth before Everton were the first to almost mount an attack, with two hopeful crosses into the Arsenal box that were easily repelled. 

But Everton won the first corner off Saliba, delivered well to the crowd at the far post by Garner for an Everton throw-in that won another corner, and a ridiculous mortar delivery by McNeil that flew over everyone and out behind. 

But Everton were at least making it difficult for Arsenal to play their game, Saka unable to get past Mykolenko. Grealish tried to force his way down the left wing but was triple-teamed. And it was 18 minutes before Saka on the other side got behind the Blues defence, Zubimendi lashing it high and wide. 

Arsenal mounted a more fluid attack, Gyokeres heading Saka's deep cross well wide. A similar attack saw Gyokeres cynically try to get a penalty by collapsing in front of Jake O'Brien.

But from the corner, Jake O'Brien strangely stuck both arms straight up as he defended the cross in, and clearly handled the ball. Penalty. Plus a yellow card for Mykolenko and much argument with the referee. Gyokeres smashed an unstoppable spot-kick over Pickford's desperate dive.

Grealish played a tempting ball through for Garner and Barry but Raya was onto it in a flash. Garner was quick to steal the ball off Calafiori only for Alcaraz to gift it straight back. Everton almost got forward from a free-kick won by Iroegbunam but ended up sending it all the way back to Pickford.

Alcaraz did his giveaway trick again, and Tarkowski went through his man for a free-kick and a yellow card. But all Arsenal did was pass the parcel around without really trying. Rice fired over.

 

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