Arsenal 0-0 Everton (14 Dec, 2024) Game Analysis

Arsenal spurned a number of probabilities and didn’t take full benefit of Premier League leaders Liverpool’s slip-up towards Fulham after they had been held to a 0-0 draw at dwelling to Everton on Saturday.

Mikel Arteta’s aspect stored their hole to Liverpool at six factors however after their rivals had been held to a 2-2 draw, title hopefuls Arsenal can be disillusioned to not have made up some floor.

Arsenal stay third within the desk on 30 factors from 16 video games, one level behind second-placed Chelsea, who host Brentford on Sunday.

Everton, who’re fifteenth with 15 factors, snapped a three-match shedding streak towards Arsenal and stored the north London membership off the scoresheet by swarming them each time they bought close to the penalty space.

“They seem to be a high quality aspect. We all know that. The gamers put an enormous shift in. The dedication to doing the fundamentals — urgent and recovering and staying true to it for 90 minutes; I used to be happy with the gamers,” Everton supervisor Sean Dyche informed the BBC.

“They had been attempting to cross it to drive one thing which exhibits how defensively strong we had been. It is one other step in the precise route.”

In a vigorous begin on the Emirates, Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhães, making his return from a hamstring harm, thwarted Abdoulaye Doucouré with a superb block whereas Martin Ødegaard twice shot vast from promising positions.

Ødegaard was closely concerned in Arsenal’s assault all through the primary half and the Norwegian midfielder was performed in by Bukayo Saka within the twenty ninth minute however his deflected shot was nicely stored out by Jordan Pickford.

Arsenal dominated possession however lacked their typical depth, although they had been capable of check Pickford as soon as once more earlier than the break, forcing the England stopper into one other high quality save to disclaim Gabriel Martinelli from a good angle.

The hosts had been extra aggressive after halftime and nearly nabbed a purpose instantly, however Pickford bought down rapidly to cease Saka’s shot earlier than racing off his line to clear a poor backpass and spare group mate Jarrad Branthwaite’s blushes.

“It is about how we apply ourselves — persist with the sport plan and undergo. We suffered loads with out the ball. We dug a degree out,” Pickford stated.

“Two defeats in 10 or 11. The self-discipline is there. Towards Arsenal you’d smash and seize a degree all day lengthy. I made some good saves at good instances. The lads made some good blocks. A superb efficiency from everybody.”

Annoyed by his group’s incapability to interrupt down a resolute Everton, Arteta made an enormous name simply previous the hour mark, taking off regulars Ødegaard and Declan Rice in a double substitution and bringing on Jorginho and 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri.

The modifications didn’t pay dividends.

The house aspect thought that they had a penalty with minutes to go when Thomas Partey gave the impression to be fouled by Vitaliy Mykolenko, however play was waved on and a prolonged VAR test didn’t overturn the referee’s resolution.

The guests barely troubled Arsenal keeper David Raya however can be happy with their defensive effort, which earned them a share of the factors.