Arsenal exorcised their Evertonian demons at the Emirates tonight. Arsenal bounced back to storm the Toffees 4-0 after losing 1-0 to them just a few short weeks ago. The result pushes Arsenal five points clear of their title rivals Manchester City with just thirteen games left to play in the season.
The game started off brightly, with Everton playing in a militant 4-5-1 formation that kept creative Arsenal from stringing together any real chances. Both teams brought energy and pace to the opening minutes but it was Everton who looked the most dangerous, leveraging Arsenal’s lapses in concentration to launch quick counterattacks down the left flank. Everton soon tired, though, and Arsenal finally broke through on the cusp of halftime. Oleksandr Zinchenko — a man quietly having the season of his life — threaded a neat pass to an onrushing Bukayo Saka, who roofed it into Everton’s net behind a jumping Jordan Pickford. Gabriel Martinelli added a second just moments later after being played onside by Everton’s Idrissa Gueye.
Arsenal unscrewed Everton’s notoriously tight midfield in the second half, finding pockets of space as Everton tried, in vain, to launch themselves forward to score. Martin Odegaard grabbed Arsenal’s third goal after being allowed to wander into Everton’s penalty box, and Gabriel Martinelli slotted home a fourth–his second of the night and 11th of the season–as the match drew to a quiet and inevitable close.
“Once we scored the first goal, the game unlocked,” a jubilant Arteta told the press after the match. “We needed a magic moment and Bukayo produced that. After that we grew and deserved to win the game… I am delighted when I see the team play in the way we want to. It’s a statement that we’re here and I want to continue to do this.”
This 4-0 victory could have massive implications for Arsenal’s season. It buys them vital breathing room at the top of the Premier League table and puts the pressure on Manchester City to chase them. For Everton, though, this result may mean even more. After firing idealistic coach Frank Lampard in favor of rugged, determined Sean Dyche, Everton have just one win in three games and simply aren’t scoring any goals. The bottom of the table is tight, with six teams separated by just six points. With their closest competitors gaining important ground, Everton could be staring down the barrel of an embarrassing relegation.
“We’re not naive,” Dyche said after the match. “I knew it wasn’t all rosy when I came. There’s plenty of work to do.”
