Everton 0 - 1 FT Arsenal

Arsenal's Clinical Finish Breaks Everton's Stubborn Defence

Skip It Futmetrix Score: 36/100. Arsenal's march toward the title continues with a grinding 1-0 victory that underscores their ability to win ugly when the stakes demand it.

The Penalty That Decided It

In the 27th minute, V. Gyokeres stepped up to convert from the spot, handing Arsenal a lead they would nurse with clinical precision. The penalty represented the sum total of the Gunners' intensity in the opening half—a side operating at 65% possession, 87% pass accuracy, and an xG of 1.81 that could have inflicted far greater damage. Goodison Park became a one-way traffic jam, yet Everton's resistance held firm until the moment of truth.

Tarkowski's Last Stand

James Tarkowski emerged as the match's defining figure, orchestrating Everton's rearguard action with a 7.9 rating that belied his team's plight. Alongside Michael Keane, the centre-back pairing absorbed 13 Arsenal shots—only two finding the target—and refused to crumble despite the relentless bombardment. This was defensive theatre at its finest: not pretty, but utterly necessary. Everton's 35% possession and five total shots told the story of a team fighting for balance rather than control, yet they created just enough chaos to suggest they could have snatched something.

Arsenal's Dominance Without the Rout

Declan Rice orchestrated Arsenal's midfield with two key passes and a 7.9 rating, driving the Gunners' superiority without ever needing to break a sweat. The visitors' 652 passes to Everton's 339 reflected a match controlled by one team, yet the xG gap (1.81 to 0.20) exposed a familiar Arsenal vulnerability: they create chances at an elite rate but convert them at a mortal one. Only one shot on target from 13 attempts summarised the evening—efficient enough to win, wasteful enough to worry.

This victory sees Arsenal consolidate their position atop the table with 39 points from 17 games, their recent loss to Everton's form (LLWWL) serving as a reminder that even the best sides face resistance. For Everton, the stakes of mid-table mediocrity grow heavier—10th place and 24 points leaves them adrift of the European conversation.

Arsenal's Coronation Tour Rolls Through Goodison

Highly Entertaining Futmetrix Score: 72/100. Everton's relegation scrap collides with Arsenal's title charge—a mismatch dressed as a six-pointer for the home side.

The Setup

Everton sit 14th, clinging to survival by their fingernails with 18 points from 13 games. The Stakes couldn't be higher for Sean Dyche's men—every point is oxygen. Yet they face Arsenal, who've barely put a foot wrong this season. The Gunners lead the league with 29 points and a goal difference that screams dominance: +18. This isn't a battle for supremacy; it's a David-versus-Goliath mismatch where David is already limping.

Key Battle

Eberechi Eze versus Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall—Arsenal's creative fulcrum against Everton's only bright spark. Eze has four goals in five matches and controls the tempo from deep; Dewsbury-Hall offers industry and directness but lacks the craft to unlock Arsenal's defence. Whoever dictates possession dictates the match.

Our Prediction

Arsenal win 3-1. The Gunners' Stars—William Saliba's imperious defending, Declan Rice's midfield control—suffocate Everton early. Leandro Trossard exploits the space down the left. Everton grab a late consolation through sheer desperation, but Arsenal's quality proves insurmountable. The visitors cruise to another three points in their relentless march toward the title.