ARSENAL lost their vital clash with Everton 1-0 at the Emirates after a horror own goal by goalkeeper Bernd Leno.
The loss followed tensions off the pitch as Gunners fans protested outside the ground before the game over Stan Kroenke’s ownership.
- RESULT: Arsenal 0-1 Everton
- Arsenal XI: Leno, Chambers, Holding, Mari, Xhaka, Ceballos, Partey, Saka, Smith Rowe, Pepe, Nketiah
- Everton XI: Pickford, Coleman, Godfrey, Holgate, Digne, Allan, Andre Gomes, Sigurdsson, Calvert-Lewin, Rodriguez, Richarlison
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THAT’s ALL FOR TONIGHT
That’s all from me!
Arsenal’s fans put in a better performance off the pitch than the team did on the pitch.
It’s not looking good for Mikel Arteta’s side, it’s win the Europa League or bust.
There’s no way they creep back into contention to qualify for Europe via the league.
They’re not even in for a shout of qualifying for the new European Conference League!
As for Everton, the race for Europe is well and truly on.
Ancelotti’s men are three points off fourth and come Monday, they’ll have a game in hand on most of the teams above them.
Plenty of footy to come here at SunSport across the weekend!
We’ve got a massive game tomorrow which could shape the top four race as West Ham welcome Chelsea to the London Stadium.
The Hammers won the fixture last year thanks to a dramatic, last-minute winner by Andriy Yarmolenko – the goal that kept them up in my books!
Goodnight!
HOLGATE’s THOUGHTS
Holgate gave his assessment to Sky Sports after the game.
GIFT FROM THE GUNNERS
BERND LENO’S horror gaffe summed up the state of Arsenal right now.
A club at war between fans and owner, heading for their worst league finish since Blackburn won the title and capable of shooting themselves in the foot in ever more creative ways.
Back in December they lost at home to Burnley with a comical own goal courtesy of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s haircut.
But this was worse as Leno, kept on last summer while cup-winning goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez was sold, somehow deflected a routine Richarlison cross through his own legs and into the net.
Read More: Arsenal 0 Everton 1 Match Report
SOUNESS ON THE GAME
Sky Sports’ Graeme Souness had this to say on the game and took aim at Arsenal’s penalty which was overturned by VAR: “I made the remark at half-time – what has happened to our game?
“There’s the incident with the penalty [for Arsenal] that was never a penalty, the reaction of players to that, the reaction of two teams who had a lot to play for tonight and not really having any fire or aggression about them.
“Everyone I speak to wants to see more aggression in the game.
“It comes from within. It comes from not wanting to lose a tackle or a header and certainly not losing the game.
“Arsenal look like a group of players just going through the motions.”
FULL-TIME STATS
Arsenal saw more of the ball, but Leno’s mistake costed them a point.
HOME FORM
The Gunners have lost seven games at the Emirates in the Premier League this season; their most home defeats in a league campaign since 1992-93 (also seven).
And it was Everton’s first win away at Arsenal in 25 years.
LENO……..
Gary Neville – one of many who led the fight against the proposed Super League – appears to like the fact that Arsenal have lost.
Arsenal were going to be one of 12 founding members up until the massive u-turn.
FT: ARSENAL 0-1 EVERTON
Arsenal started the second half the bright and they thought they had a penalty after Ceballos was tripped by Richarlison.
But VAR intervened and Pepe was judged to be offside in the build-up and it was an incredibly tight call.
The direction of the game looked like it was going to end a draw.
But a colossal mess by Leno handed Everton all three points when he spilled Richarlison’s tame shot into the back of his own net.
PEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!
THE FULL-TIME WHISTLE GOES AT THE EMIRATES!
EVERTON TAKE ALL THREE POINTS!
ARSENAL 0-1 EVERTON
90+2. SAVE!
Willian finds Partey on the edge of Everton’s penalty area.
The midfielder then plays a wonderful pass to find Martinelli – who we’ve barely seen – inside the box.
The Brazilian gets a shot off at the near post but Pickford saves!
ARSENAL 0-1 EVERTON
90. The fourth official holds his board up and there will be four additional minutes added on.
Four minutes for Arsenal to rescue a point.
ARSENAL 0-1 EVERTON
89. SUBSTITUTION!
Ancelotti is making another change and he’s bringing on a defender. Richarlison makes way for Mina.
ARSENAL 0-1 EVERTON
87. Oh Leno…… take a look at his calamitous error for Everton’s goal.
ARSENAL 0-1 EVERTON
85. SUBSTITUTION!
Rodriguez makes way for Davies
ARSENAL 0-1 EVERTON
84. Arsenal have done themselves NO favours and they find themselves a goal behind with five or so minutes to go.
ARSENAL 0-1 EVERTON
82. SUBSTITUTION!
Mikel Arteta makes another change and Willian comes on for Chambers.
ARSENAL 0-1 EVERTON
77. VAR has a look for a possible offside, but the goal stands.
ARSENAL 0-1 EVERTON
76. Xhaka fails to cope with Richarlison and the Brazilian gets to the byline.
Richarlison gets a shot off – but it’s not on target – and the ball goes through Leno’s legs and into the back of the net!
It’s going to go down as an own goal, it took a sight deflection off the keepers leg on the way through.
Gift by the Gunners, the Toffees lead at the Emirates!
GOOOOOOAAAAAALLL!!!
LENO MAKES AN ABSOLUTE MESS OF A TAME SHOT!!!
EVERTON LEAD!!!
ARSENAL 0-0 EVERTON
75. SUBSTITUTIONS!
Arsenal make a double change, Odegaard and Martinelli are on for Pepe and Nketiah.
Martinelli will play through the middle.
ARSENAL 0-0 EVERTON
73. Everton work the ball back to goalkeeper Pickford.
The keeper shapes up to clear, but takes an extra touch and almost gifts a goal to Nketiah.
But he manages to play the ball out before being fouled by the Arsenal forward.
ARSENAL 0-0 EVERTON
69. Arsenal catch Everton out with a quick throw down the line to Saka.
The Arsenal No7 gets to the byline and drives a low cross towards the near post, but Pickford gathers.
ARSENAL 0-0 EVERTON
68. YELLOW CARD!
Delph – who has just come on – is booked for hacking down Smith Rowe on the halfway line.
ARSENAL 0-0 EVERTON
66. SAVE!
Pepe holds the ball up on the left-hand side before playing the ball inside to Ceballos.
The Spaniard shifts the ball onto his favoured right foot and sends a shot towards the far corner but Pickford saves!
ARSENAL 0-0 EVERTON
64. SUBSTITUTION!
Gomes’ evening comes to an end and he is replaced by Delph just past the hour mark.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
