The dreaded trip to Goodison Park comes early for Arsenal this season, as the Gunners aim to rectify their recent Merseyside mistakes when they take on Everton in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.
Prior to the international hiatus, the Toffees claimed their first point of the season in a 2-2 draw with Sheffield United, while Mikel Arteta’s side secured a breathtaking 3-1 win over Manchester United.
When it comes to goalkeeping redemption stories, Jordan Pickford arguably did it better than anyone else during Everton’s pulsating clash with Sheffield United, where the Toffees finally opened their account for the season through Abdoulaye Doucoure before a fine Cameron Archer equaliser.
The Blades’ new number nine then celebrated the most unfortunate of own goals by Pickford, as Archer’s shot crashed against the post before hitting the England number one’s back and bouncing over the line, but Arnaut Danjuma drew the visitors level before Pickford made an astonishing double save from Oli McBurnie right at the death.
Good thing too, as the shot-stopper’s late contributions were vital in preserving a point for Everton, who are now belatedly off the mark for the 2023-24 campaign following a trio of losses to Fulham, Aston Villa and Wolverhampton Wanderers without making the net bulge once.
However, Sean Dyche’s men unsurprisingly remain below the dotted line in 18th spot, only above Luton Town and basement team Burnley, and their tally of two goals is also the worst offensive record in the league alongside the Hatters.
A 2-1 win over Doncaster Rovers in the EFL Cup did serve as a slight morale-booster for the hosts – who have now been taken over by 777 Partners – but they welcome Arsenal to Goodison having lost five of their last six home games and will need history to be on their side should they prolong the Gunners’ Merseyside misery.
Not for the first time at the Emirates in 2023, Arsenal waited until the dying embers of the match to send their fervent supporters into unbridled ecstasy, as Arteta’s men righted the wrongs of a disappointing 2-2 home draw with Fulham to sink old foes Manchester United in North London.
Marcus Rashford and Martin Odegaard’s quickfire strikes had the tie delicately poised before the break, but it would seemingly not be Arsenal’s day in the second 45, as a Kai Havertz penalty was overturned before Alejandro Garnacho burst through to pick out the bottom corner in front of the away end.
However, the returning Gabriel Magalhaes just about managed to catch his South American colleague offside, and as the clock ticked down in added time, Declan Rice’s deflected effort and Gabriel Jesus’s breakaway goal saw a resilient Arsenal deservedly come out on the correct end of the scoreline.
With 10 points under their belt from their opening four games, Arteta’s men are in fifth spot owing to an inferior goal difference to Liverpool, West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur, the latter of whom await in next weekend’s North London derby after Arsenal make their Champions League homecoming against PSV Eindhoven.
Hitherto one of the league’s most impressive teams on the road, Arsenal now have just two wins to show from their last six top-flight away contests and have struggled to shake the Goodison hoodoo in recent years, losing four and drawing one of their last five matches at the ground since a 5-2 thrashing in Arsene Wenger’s farewell season.
Everton’s medical team were being forced to work overtime before the hiatus, and the Toffees lost James Tarkowski to a facial injury towards the end of their encounter with Sheffield United, but there is hope that the ex-Burnley man – who netted the winner against Arsenal in February – will be fine to take part this weekend alongside Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
That is more than can be said for Seamus Coleman (knee), Jack Harrison (hip) and Dele Alli (groin), while Jarrad Branthwaite withdrew from England Under-21 duty this month but is expected to shake off his own groin injury in time for the visit of Arteta’s troops.
All of Youssef Chermiti (groin), Andre Gomes (calf), Lewis Dobbin (knock) and Michael Keane (knock) appear to have battled back from their concerns too, but none of them should start.
In contrast, Arsenal are blessed with a relatively small injury list following the international break, with only Thomas Partey (groin), Jurrien Timber (ACL) and Mohamed Elneny (knee) out of contention, but the former is now back in training.
The Gunners were handed a brief scare with Gabriel Magalhaes over the international break after he came off early on his Brazil debut, but the centre-back made a rapid recovery and will soon return to London Colney alongside Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus, who might need quick assessments after readjusting to British time zones.
Bukayo Saka has allegedly been carrying an Achilles problem for months, but there is nothing to suggest that the Ballon d’Or nominee will not be fit for Sunday, where Eddie Nketiah should spearhead the attack despite not earning any minutes for England over the international period.
Everton possible starting lineup:
Pickford; Patterson, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Young; Onana, Gueye; Garner, Doucoure, Danjuma; Beto
Arsenal possible starting lineup:
Ramsdale; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Odegaard, Rice, Havertz; Saka, Nketiah, Martinelli
We say: Everton 0-2 Arsenal
Whatever it is about Goodison Park, Arsenal appear cursed when they step out onto the turf, but Everton’s ongoing injury and attacking woes makes it difficult to envisage another Merseyside beating for the men in red.
It would be easy for the Gunners to get distracted by the prospect of their first Champions League game in over six years next week, but Arteta’s men looked more like their old selves against Man United and should finally pick up their first win away to Everton in the post-Wenger era.
