Arsenal move level with Man City as Konsa and Gabriel sink Everton
Arsenal moved level on points with Manchester City at the top of the Premier League after a 2-0 win over Everton at the Emirates, with Ezri Konsa scoring his first goal for the club and Gabriel Magalhães adding a second half header to seal it.
City had lost to Aston Villa earlier in the day, and Arsenal made sure of taking advantage inside seven minutes. A third corner in succession saw Gabriel make the crucial first contact at the near post, Jordan Pickford tip the ball onto the crossbar, and Vitaliy Mykolenko's failed clearance under pressure from Viktor Gyökeres fall for Konsa to ram home from close range. It ended a run of 13 games without a set piece goal, their first since May against Crystal Palace, according to Opta.
The Friday Injury Tracker
Who's out, who's back and what it means for the next two games.
Mikel Arteta made five changes from the midweek Champions League trip to face Bayern Munich, with Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke both spurning good chances to extend the lead in front of watching England head coach Thomas Tuchel. Madueke was left out of the last England squad but could benefit from Bukayo Saka's expected long absence through a thigh injury, and was consistently Arsenal's most dangerous outlet, going inches away with an instinctive effort from the edge of the area.
Gabriel settles it after Gyökeres frustration
Everton, without Jarrad Branthwaite and the illness ruled out Jack Grealish, defended stubbornly and almost snatched an equaliser before half time when a lapse from Ben White let Thierno Barry in, though his effort could not beat David Raya.
Gyökeres, making his first Premier League start of the season and still without a league goal for the club, looked laboured before being booked for a foul on James Tarkowski that saw Arteta also shown a card for protesting. He was substituted soon after, and within 60 seconds of the change Gabriel headed home at the back post from a brilliant White cross.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall almost gave Everton a route back into it, his header fizzing just wide, but Arsenal held on comfortably.
Moyes' Emirates misery continues
The result extended David Moyes' poor record at the Emirates, where Everton have now won just twice in 35 visits, and marked the 400th defeat of his managerial career, 31 of which have come against Arsenal, more than any other opponent, per Opta. It was also Everton's second successive league defeat following a six match unbeaten start, adding to pressure at the club after confirmation that the American owners want out.
Asked about the title race running alongside City amid their 115 charge guilty verdict, Arteta said: “We are just focusing on what we can do. We are very pleased with 90% of the results and performances that we have,” as reported by the Guardian.
Moyes added: “It was always going to be hard after conceding the early goal. I want us to challenge the top teams but it's difficult when you see the strength of their bench.”
Arsenal remain level with City at the top heading into the next round of fixtures, with the title race set to continue to be shaped by results on both sides.
