ARSENAL will take on Everton at Goodison Park TODAY as the Gunners look to secure back-to-back Premier League wins.
Gabriel Martinelli was denied an opener at Goodison by VAR and minutes later he was forced off injured.
Arsenal have not won at Everton since 2017 – when Arsene Wenger was in charge.
- Kick-off time: 4:30pm BST
- Live stream: <a aria-label="NOW TV
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- Everton XI: Pickford, Young, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko, Onana, Doucoure, Gueye, Danjuma, Beto, McNeil.
- Arsenal XI: Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko, Rice, Odegaard, Vieira, Saka, Martinelli, Nketiah.
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Everton 0-0 Arsenal
34. Fabio Vieira has gone down now after a coming together with Beto that saw the midfielder take an arm to the mouth.
Only one winner there, I’m afraid.
Everton 0-0 Arsenal
32. It does feel as though the disallowed goal combined with Martinelli’s injury has taken the impetus out of Arsenal’s performance.
They need something to spark them back into life.
Everton 0-0 Arsenal
30. A driving run into the box by Doucoure has Everton asking for a penalty.
They’re absolutely kidding themselves though with the Malian midfielder already on his way down long before Saliba stuck out and then withdrew his leg.
Simon Hooper is unmoved, and his only mistake is not booking Doucoure for diving.
Everton 0-0 Arsenal
28. The hosts start to come forward for the first time with Beto attempting to outmuscle the Arsenal centre-backs.
He has no joy on this occasion, but seconds later Raya is drawn into action for the first time, plucking Young’s cross out of the sky.
Everton 0-0 Arsenal
26. Despite the upheaval of losing a player, Arsenal’s dominance continues.
Rice twists and turns inside the penalty area, but his shot is blocked.
Everton 0-0 Arsenal – Arsenal substitution
24. Sure enough, Martinelli makes way and is replaced by Leandro Trossard.
A real blow for the Gunners.
Everton 0-0 Arsenal
22. Meanwhile, Gabriel Martinelli’s afternoon has taken a further turn for the worse.
The Brazilian has gone down off the ball, and doesn’t look as though he’ll be able to continue.
Everton 0-0 Arsenal
20. Debate is raging!
Gabriel Martinelli races through to cooly convert and put Arsenal in the lead.
Or so he thinks.
After a lengthy VAR check, the goal has been ruled out for offside.
It’s Eddie Nketiah who has been penalised with the striker adjudged to be ahead of Vitaliy Mykolenko when the ball came through to him in the build-up.
However, it’s marginal, and just like Alejandro Garnacho’s goal at the Emirates, the angle being used by the video officials to check doesn’t look the best.
Furthermore, the pass to Nketiah from Gabriel wasn’t a clean one, and actually came off Everton’s Beto last.
This will be an argument that runs and runs.
Everton 0-0 Arsenal
18. White. Rice. White. Rice. White.
A cross to the backpost for Vieira stops me thinking about my dinner options, and instead has me chuckling at the midfielder for miscuing his volley.
Everton 0-0 Arsenal
16. Arsenal have so far registered 16 successful passes in the final third.
Everton? Just the one, dear.
Everton 0-0 Arsenal
14. Saka sparks a break by nutmegging Mykolenko on the touchline, but soon he and Odegaard are crowded out by five blue shirts – and Doucoure comes away with the ball.
Everton 0-0 Arsenal
12. Jeers ring out from the Gwladys Street End for the first time today (but undoubtedly not the last).
The home fans are not happy after Nketiah left one on Pickford in pursuit of Braithwaite’s short backpass.
In truth, there’s little in it, and Simon Hooper does well just to calm the situation down.
Everton 0-0 Arsenal
10. The second corner is half-cleared towards Vieira outside the box.
The young Portuguese star fancies his chances with a drop of the shoulder, but blasts his shot high and wide of Pickford’s goal.
Everton 0-0 Arsenal
9. Less assured from Branthwaite on his occasion, who should comfortably deal with a loose ball following Arsenal’s corner.
Instead, he wellies it straight into the back of Young and behind for another corner kick to the visitors.
Everton 0-0 Arsenal
8. Alert covering from Branthwaite slides the ball out for a corner after McNeil had his pocket picked by Odegaard.
Everton 0-0 Arsenal
6. Unsurprisingly, it’s the visitors that have taken control of possession early on.
As of yet, there’s been no opportunity for Beto to show the Goodison crowd what he can do.
Everton 0-0 Arsenal
4. Young impresses again, this time up against the pace and guile of Martinelli.
The Premier League veteran even manages to force the ball against his opponent to win a goalkick.
Everton 0-0 Arsenal
3. A first corner of the game is floated towards the near post by Bukayo Saka, and confidently headed clear by this fixture’s matchwinner last season, James Tarkowski.
Everton 0-0 Arsenal
2. Some promising early play take Arsenal across the pitch from right to left.
That is until Zinchenko’s through ball is keenly cut out by the youthful zest of 38-year-old Ashley Young.
Kick-off – Everton v Arsenal
1. Game on! It’s the Premier League runners-up that get the action underway at Goodison.
A traditional game, and traditional colours too; Everton are in blue and white, Arsenal are in red and white.
Here come the two teams!
The theme tune to Z-Cars rings around Goodison Park, which means the players of Everton and Arsenal are emerging from the tunnel at this famous old stadium.
And after all the talk off the pitch this week, the Toffees will be keen to get back to matters on it – despite their poor start to the season.
But standing in their way are one of the best sides in the country, and there can be no greater incentive for the Gunners than going level on points with Tottenham should they win.
It’s all set up for an intriguing afternoon, and kick-off on Merseyside comes next.
Century up for Gabriel
Gabriel is back in the Arsenal team, and today will make his 100th Premier League appearance for the Gunners.
The Brazilian made his debut for the Londoners back in September 2020, scoring in a 3-0 win away at Fulham.
Added Firepower
Sean Dyche has been handed a huge boost this afternoon with striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin returning to the squad.
The Toffees have struggled for goals in the opening four games of the season.
Credit: getty Raya IN
Mikel Arteta has opted with Brentford loanee David Raya between the sticks at Goodison this afternoon.
It will be the Spaniard’s first start for the Gunners since he made the switch to the Emirates this summer.
Credit: REUTERS Today’s referee
The referee for this afternoon’s Premier League clash at Goodison Park will be Simon Hooper.
- Referee: Simon Hooper
- Assistants: Adrian Holmes, Simon Long
- Fourth official: Anthony Taylor
- VAR: Stuart Attwell
- Assistant VAR: Nick Greenhalgh
Credit: GETTY
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
