Arsenal 2 – 0 Everton
Everton defended brilliantly for 89 minutes against Premier League leaders Arsenal at Emirates Stadium on Saturday evening without their two best centre-backs, both missing from the heart of the defence.
But the match ended after 16-year-old Max Dowman created the first easy tap-in with a clever cross that fooled Jordan Pickford, before he ran the full length of the field to score into an empty net after Pickford and the entire Everton team had gone upfield for a final corner.
With Jarrad Branthwaite and James Tarkowski both ‘unavailable’, Michael Keane started alongside Jake O’Brien as the Blues’ centre-backs at the Emirates.
James Garner switched to right-back, with Vitalii Mykolenko on the left side of defence. Tim Iroegbunam (the correct spelling) partnered Idrissa Gana Gueye in defensive midfield.
The front line stayed the same with Dwight McNeil and Iliman Ndiaye on the flanks, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall in the No 10 role, and Beto preferred to Barry up front.
Meanwhile, goalkeeper Jordan Pickford – bidding for his 100th clean sheet for Everton – captained the team in the absence of James Tarkowski.
First Half
The game started with Everton attacking, Declan Rice going down because someone stood on his foot. But the expected [pattern of Arsenal passing and possession soon set in. Arsenal took a very quick free-kick when Gana tangled with Eze. That resulted in a throw-in, then a corner taken short and a fierce shot from Madueke that Pickford parried.
It was frenetic as Arsenal tried to force their way in, Tim Iroegbunam across well to deny Havertz, but they won the ball back and Calafiori’s shot was deflected for another corner. Arsenal worked it well for another Calafiori shot, this time over the Everton bar.
Zubemendi’s shot was blocked by Gana before Saka shot wide. A tremendous ball in Saka with a point-blank header, pawed away incredibly by Pickford but Saka flagged offside.
Madueke tried to get around Keane, who did exceptionally well to block him, no foul. Arsenal dominating play, the game conducted almost entirely in the Everton half.
That was until Ndiaye broke away and crossed, parried by Raya straight to McNeil, Calafiori incredibly blocking his powerful shot while on the ground! Everton worked it around again well, and McNeil fired off a tremendous shot that beat Raya but smacked off the post!!! Ndiaye could do little with the rebound that flew the wrong side of the post.
Eze put through a great ball for Havertz but Keane covered him and Havertz dived for the penalty — not given — but Keane did in fact catch his left foot. Not seen by VAR? Strange one…
Everton got forward down the left again but the cross from Gana was not accurate enough. Everton played it around before going back to Pickford for the pointless punt that conceded possession and Arsenal surged forward but the defensive covering from Garner, Keane and Gueye was spot-on.
Dewsbury-Hall tried to drive forward but there was one pirouette too many. But Everton worked it forward well and it opened up from a smart pass by Iroegbunam for Dewsbury-Hall forced a good save from Raya with a low shot, too close to him.
Beto was clearly fouled by an Arsenal ‘hug’ on an aerial challenge but nothing given and no VAR check.
A foul outside the Everton area saw a laborious set-up from Arsenal, Rice after an age smacking it into the Everton wall.
From an extended workaround, Saka looked to break in and won a corner that he took, flicked on by Calafiori but glanced away by Keane at the far post.
Ndiaye did very well to get forward under close supervision but Beto was adjudged to have fouled his man — he really didn’t attack the ball from Ndiaye properly.
McNeil drove down the right and Rice fouled him, much to Arsenal’s angst. Garner swung in the free-kick, Raya out but he fluffed his punch. However, it was enough to take the ball away from the Everton attackers.
Arsenal attacked again, Gana blocking away Rice’s cross for another Arsenal corner, taken by Rice. Shot attempts were well blocked until Eze skied his shot with 5 minutes added before the break.
Arsenal built another drive into the Everton area but everything they tried was blocked by blue shirts. Everton had some nice possession with good passing but Beto could not make himself into the required target man.
A lovely one-two between Garner and Iroegbunam should have led to more than a weak shot from Gana, straight at Raya. But the All-Blues went in at the break with their clean sheet intact after having played pretty well against the Premier League leaders.
Second Half
Everton had to do a lot of defending from the restart. But Ndiaye did well to steal the ball, Dewsbury-Hall running into traffic in the Arsenal 6-yard area. But they came forward again and won a corner off Ndiaye, their first.
Garner swung it in, McNeil and then Beto seeing their shots kept out. The save Raya produced with his foot just inside the post to keep out Beto’s shot was simply outstanding. But Everton kept possession for a short spell before Everton’s high press almost paid off.
Another strong attack from Arsenal ended with Pickford gathering the ball. But they could not do the ‘playing out’ thing and Arsenal were soon pressing forward again, but limited to the perennial workaround.
Gabriel looked to overlap but a desperate block by Garner gave away a corner, Keane heading it out but only for more red recycling. Everton almost got free from the pressure but the fine passing margins failed them and another corner saw Eze’s shot blocked.
Everton got into Arsenal’s half but that only seemed to inspire Arsenal, Madueke dancing in. Pickford parried a Saka shot across goal, Garner there to clear, but the pressure now approaching boiling point, Moyes angry about something and getting booked.
Everton were stretched on a free-kick that was easily defended by Arsenal, Goykeres, breaking at pace. Eze tried a curling shot that beat Pickford but also the post as the tension in the game became even more intense.
Mykolenko got forward and won Everton only their second corner, but the ball just would not fall for them and time was called on Beto, with Barry on in his place after 69 minutes.
Another Arsenal advance was well stopped by Iroegbunam and Garner. Everton looked to advance down the left and Saliba was called for fouling Gana. An incredible delivery from Garner, glancing off Mosquera’s head, but no corner given, and 16-year-old Dowman on to torment Everton in the final quarter.
Gabriel drove a poor shot well wide but Arsenal soon had the ball to build again, Dowman drifting past Myko. Dowman then spun away from Dewsbury-Hall before Eze’s tremendous effort was batted away by Pickford.
Everton had a great chance to counter down the left but Barry’s hold-up play was utterly hopeless and Arsenal were on the attack again, with barely 10 minutes left. A Martinelli cross was poorly overhit past everyone.
Everton would get the ball… but could not keep it for long, it kept coming back and Dowman had a good chance for a wonder goal but spooned it high over Pickford’s goal.
An Arsenal free-kick was worked around and around until Iroegbunam drew a foul of Eze to relieve the pressure, with 5 minutes left as Moyes made some more changes.
Martinelli got past Mykolenko again but his cross was cleared before Eze fouled Rohl. Arsenal tried to pull Everton forward almost got into troouble but they had done enough because the next attack saw Dowman swing a brilliant ball to the far post that Pickford came for but barely touched with his fingertips and Goykeres had an easy finish from 2 yards. Resistance is futile.
Arsenal had what they wanted and Martinelli looked to make it two with a fine shot that Pickford palmed over for a corner but Arsenal only wanted to waste time. While Moyes went for his late masterstroke: Tyrique George. But it was Keane who tried to drive the ball goalwards in the final added minute, Everton winning a late corner.
Pickford came forward for Garner’s delivery… but it all went wrong and Dowman could gallop half the field unhindered, to put it into an empty net, what an utter embarrassment for Everton — destroyed by a 16-year-old.
Line-Ups
Arsenal: Raya; Timber (38′ Mosquera), Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori (74′ Hincapie); Zubimendi (74′ Dowman), Rice, Eze; Saka, Havertz (61′ Gyökeres), Madueke (61′ Martinelli).
Subs not Used: Kepa, White, Lewis-Skelly, Jesus.
Everton: Pickford, Garner, O’Brien, Keane, Mykolenko, Gana (90+5′ George), Iroegbunam (86′ Röhl), McNeil (86′ Armstrong), Ndiaye, Dewsbury-Hall, Beto (70′ Barry).
Subs not Used: Travers, Patterson, Dibling, Coleman, Aznou.