FULL-TIME! Arsenal 2-0 Everton
Both sides were not at their best but Arsenal make it 100 wins over Everton to move into third. Thanks for reading. Now for the League Cup final! Bye!
90 +7 min: Another Garbutt corner. Cleared. Twenty seconds to go. No more to see here, folks.
90 +6 min: Rosicky tries to find Giroud with a long ball but the Frenchman is offside.
90 +5 min: Özil, who provided the pass to Rosicky for the goal, finds Cazorla in the area this time with a pass from the left edge of the box. Cazorla tries to dribble past a wall of four Everton defenders. You know what the result is … the ball is cleared.
90 +4 min: Playing down the final minutes now. It’s all gone to script, really. Yet more frustration for Everton, while Arsenal do about enough to win at home.
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90 +2 min: Bellerin delivers from the right towards a rising Giroud at the near post but the header flies across goal and just wide.
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90 min: There will be seven minutes added on.
GOAL! Arsenal 2-0 Everton (Rosicky, 89)
Game over! Rosicky scores his third of the season but it comes courtesy of a huge deflection off an unlucky Jagielka. The Czech veteran curls towards goal with his right boot, the Everton defender tries to block but his touch changes the shot’s direction and beats a stranded Howard.
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88 min: Coquelin is down again after another clash of heads. This time with Naismith. Blood is pumping from his nose again and this time he is being hauled off. Calum Chambers to replace.
88 min: News from the Emirates: the London Overground is not travelling eastbound to Stratford.
87 min: Welbeck is on for Sánchez.
85 min: Arsenal are sitting back now. Everton have plenty of the ball but are struggling to find an incisive pass … until Gibson picks out Garbutt unmarked on the left. He fizzes a cross in, Lukaku drives ferociously towards goal but Ospina is out to punch cleared. Koscielny gets a whack of his keeper’s fist.
83 min: Darron Gibson becomes Everton’s third and final substitution. He is on for Barry.
82 min: That pass was Oxlade-Chamberlain’s final act of the afternoon. Rosicky is on in his place.
80 min: Everton are going for it now and that means there are more gaps for Arsenal to exploit on the break – doing a Monaco, if you like. Oxlade-Chamberlain, in a central position, coolly finds Özil but his strike is blocked by Jagielka. The Germany midfielder takes the resulting corner. It’s cleared.
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79 min: It’s taken towards Stones but Arsenal clear and Sánchez breaks. Jagielka intercepts.
78 min: Koscielny booked for a cynical foul on Lennon who tried to hurdle it and continue his run but could not keep his balance. Garbutt, again, to take.
77 min: Naismith on for Besic. Everton have a corner which is taken short by Garbutt to Barkley but he hammers it high and wide.
75 min: Oxlade-Chamberlain zooms past Besic but Garbutt gets in the way. Arsenal corner. Özil strokes it towards Gabriel but he heads wide under pressure from Barry.
73 min: Lennon tries to find Barkley but Gabriel, who has improved quite a bit since a nervy couple of touches early on, slides in with a fantastic challenge. Barkley slyly attempts to hold him down so the ball will go out for a throw-in but the linesman spots it and gives Arsenal a free-kick.
72 min: Another good save from Ospina. This time he is on hand to stop Lennon’s poke at goal following Coleman’s pass from the right.
70 min: Three minutes later, Coquelin is back to his feet. The flow of blood has been stemmed and he’s going to come back on.
67 min: Ouch! Coquelin goes up for a header with Barkley that Giroud also wants to contest and the Arsenal paid collide. The former is left a little worse for wear with blood pouring from his nose.
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65 min: Great save Ospina! Lukaku gets in front of Koscielny and latches on to Barkley’s pass. It looks to be heading in but the Arsenal keeper gets a touch to the strike and puts it out for a corner.
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64 min: Arsenal enjoy a decent spell in possession on the right. Cazorla cuts in, plays a rapid one-two with Giroud, and drives over with his left.
62 min: Lennon is on to a handful of boos from the Spurs-haters, in place of Mirallas.
61 min: Bellerin sprints forward but he takes a heavy touch when entering the box, Garbutt stands his ground and Howard collects.
59 min: Lukaku looks to have beaten Gibbs near the end-line but Coquelin doubles up, disrupts the Belgium striker and Gibbs cleans up the afters.
59 min: Aaron Lennon is about to come on for Everton.
56 min: Everton appear to be causing Gibbs some grief here. He can only hack clear to Mirallas, who spots Coleman in front of him and plays a nicely weighted through ball. Coleman tries to cross but Arsenal clear.
53 min: Now Garbutt must defend as Oxlade-Chamberlain comes down the right. The Arsenal attacker eventually gets a cross in to the feet of Giroud who brushes off Jagielka. The Everton defender gets down to block his attempt on goal with his arm but there is no sign of intent.
50 min: That corner comes to nothing. Besic crosses from the right but it’s cleared. Eventually Arsenal have a goal-kick, giving them a much-needed bit of respite.
49 min: Another Garbutt delivery earns another corner. The defender takes it himself. It reaches Barkley at the back of the area. He wins another corner. Garbutt comes across to take it.
48 min: Garbutt then crosses from the left after the corner is half-cleared and Barry acrobatically fires over. Everton have displayed more attacking intent in the opening three minutes of this half than the entire first period.
47 min: The ball bounces awkwardly and Ospina dithers before turning it around his right post for a corner.
47 min: Giroud is booked for a trip on Coleman as the Irishman raced down the right. Free kick to be taken by Garbutt’s left boot.
Off we go again!
Everton restart. And it’s immediately played back and across the defence.
HALF-TIME! Arsenal 1-0 Everton
Giroud’s confidence boosting goal separates the teams at the break. It has been dull for the most part. Everton have enjoyed lots of the ball but do not look like threatening apart from a pair of Lukaku breaks which were halted by Ospina and Gabriel, while Arsenal look most threatening when they get it out wide to Sánchez and Oxlade-Chamberlain.
45 min: Two minutes to be added on. If somebody farts at the Emirates, we might just hear it such is the lack of atmosphere.
44 min: Cazorla plants a dummy on his right, cuts into his left and 25 yards out has a pop. Howard turns it over the bar for a corner. Besic heads the ball towards the keeper with a little too much power for comfort but the American saves.
43 min: For all their possession, Everton have been disappointing once they venture forward. Lukaku cannot do it all by himself and requires far more support. In saying that, they haven’t seen much of the ball since conceding. Sánchez puts another cross in towards Giroud but Jagielka defends well.
40 min: That was Arsenal’s first attempt on target. And you would imagine a heavy weight has lifted off Giroud’s shoulders with that finish.
GOAL! Arsenal 1-0 Everton (Giroud, 39)
And it’s a goal! Özil’s delivery finds the Frenchman who sweeps home with his weaker foot from about 10 yards. A confidence booster.
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38 min: Cazorla’s corner is cleared by Barry but only as far as Gibbs. Some tippy-tappy on the left ends with a Sánchez cross towards Giroud. Another corner. Özil to take.
36 min: Frustrated chants of ‘Come on Arsenal’ but it’s Everton who attack now. Barkley pings a ball to Lukaku who runs impressively towards goal but Gabriel makes a great tackle to halt his advances.
34 min: Bellerin has a shot blocked by Jagielka. Improved from Arsenal but they are finding it difficult to get behind Everton’s back six.
32 min: Jagielka plays a tasty crossfield pass out to Coleman, who is in a really advanced position, but the Ireland defender cannot control and the ball runs out for a throw. Coleman turns around to applaud the pass, though.
31 min: Garbutt places a deep cross into the welcoming hands of Ospina.
30 min: Oxlade-Chamberlain puts another cross in after Ross Barkley lost possession in midfield. Gibbs heads off target.
28 min: In Andy Townsend parlance: BETTER from Arsenal. Oxlade-Chamberlain zooms down the right and manages to cross under pressure from Garbutt. Delivery is poor but at least there is an increase in attacking intent.
27 min: Barkley plays it to Mirallas who attempts to find Lukaku with a neat pass along the deck but Arsenal collect and attack. Sánchez crosses from the left and Giroud sneaks behind Jagielka but puts his diving header narrowly wide. Still, at least they have created a chance!
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24 min: Everton pass it around the back some more. Lukaku should be able to cause havoc considering Gabriel’s uncertain start but Everton don’t appear capable of serving him with a decent supply.
23 min: Sánchez drags down McCarthy. Everton take the free-kick short, pass it across the pitch to the left wing but Garbutt ends up being dispossessed.
22 min: It could be construed as death by a thousand passes but Everton will be very happy with this so far. Arsenal, perhaps still reeling from how they were defensively shambolic on Wednesday, look a little nervy and unsure of themselves.
20 min: Sánchez races down the left wing but three Everton players chase after him – Stones, Coleman and McCarthy – and the ball eventually runs out for a goal-kick.
17 min: Bellerin gets the better of Besic and sends a cross in from the right which Sánchez picks up. He tries to find Özil but Everton clear and then break quickly. Lukaku looks to be through after Gabriel hesitates under the long ball but Ospina is quick off his line, disrupts the Belgian striker’s run and makes a double save.
16 min: Lukaku cuts in on the right, eases past Gibbs and has a shot blocked. Besic drives the rebound high and wide. Difficult attempt to execute but still spawns cheers from an otherwise muted home support.
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15 min: Possession update: Everton now have had 71% of the ball. Dull fare so far.
13 min: Now it is Arsenal’s turn to play lots of neat, short passes. Gibbs and Sánchez ping it back and forth before the latter cuts in, attempts to find Giroud but the striker’s touch is heavy. Howard collects.
11 min: But not that – Jagielka drives the ball into touch. Arsenal attack down the right and win a corner, which Cazorla will take. He overhits it and Sánchez collects on the left via Oxlade-Chamberlain. The Chilean floats a cross back in but it trickles out and Everton have a goal-kick.
10 min: Everton STILL have the ball across the back. Come on, do something! Please!
9 min: Means little but Everton have had 65% of the ball so far. The majority of that in their own half.
8 min: Everton more than pleased to play keep ball at the back.
6 min: Little break in play as Stones gets some treatment following that free-kick. He’s ok and will continue.
4 min: No real pattern developing yet. Everton have won a free on the right flank but the delivery is headed clear by Coquelin under pressure from Stones.
2 min: As was blatantly obvious from the team sheet, Everton are packing the midfield here. Arsenal lining up with Coquelin as the holding midfielder, a bank of four in front and behind him, and Giroud leading the line.
1 min: Olivier Giroud concedes an early foul and Everton play it around the back. Arsenal need to start strong here to avoid the fans getting on their back.
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We are go!
Arsenal gets us going, playing from left to right as we watch it in their usual red and white. Everton are wearing all blue.
The teams are out. It’s sunny but a little chilly in north London. We are moments away.
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Some of your early emails
Raymond Reardon:
About time Arsenal have benched Mertesacker. The expression “the Ox is slow but the Earth is patient” has been in Mertsacker’s favour but after the slower than a “Rhinoceros” performance against Monaco Wenger has finally run out of patience.
JR in Illinois:
Hey Alan,
Very cheeky team selection by Wenger, wouldn’t you say? Starting Oxlade-Chamberlain and Gibbs with Marriner refereeing could be asking for trouble.
And Walter Reichert:
Assuming AW’s ‘viewing’ position in your 1st photo. Finally a good idea from the guy!
Martin Keown is pitchside at the Emirates today as part of BT’s coverage. A good reason to post this. Again
Be right back, just watching the final stages of an outstanding game at Anfield.
Team news!
Arsenal (4-1-4-Giroud): Ospina; Bellerin, Gabriel, Koscielny, Gibbs; Coquelin; Cazorla, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Özil, Sánchez; Giroud. Subs: Szczesny, Mertesacker, Rosicky, Walcott, Monreal, Chambers, Welbeck.
Everton (in a countdown formation of 4-3-2-1): Howard; Coleman, Jagielka, Stones, Garbutt; McCarthy, Besic, Barry; Mirallas, Barkley; Lukaku. Subs: Robles, Gibson, Koné, Naismith, Osman, Lennon, Alcaraz.
Referee: Mr A Marriner.
One of the more curious things about Arsenal is their ability to immediately bounce back from disaster. The insipid midweek performance against Monaco was a surprise that very few, apart from maybe Dimitar Berbatov, would have foreseen. It was an implosion arguably more spectacular than all the previous implosions given the expectancy before kickoff. But here we are four days later, back in North London to see how they can respond. For all their flaws, Arsène Wenger’s team often reply in style. He was more critical of his players than usual on Wednesday, almost eager to highlight their shortcomings in the immediate aftermath of an embarrassing performance. Nonetheless their league form at home remains very impressive. Only Manchester United have won there and Arsenal have won every game since.
Everton fans may be fearful of a backlash. The victory over Young Boys on Thursday will not have been too taxing but the manager, Roberto Martínez, is aware of Arsenal’s ability to react. “I don’t think Arsenal will suffer from a psychological setback after what happened in their last game,” Martínez said. “They have incredible experience in these sorts of games.” The league campaign has been a huge disappointment for Everton, but they have defied the pattern of English teams struggling in continental competition. The extra 24 hours rest, Martínez reckons, will give Arsenal an advantage here. Getting in the excuses early or merely a fact, you can make your own mind up. Everton have only won once in their past 10 in the league and although they have only been defeated once in the past six, this would appear to be an onerous task.
Kick-off is 2.05pm GMT. Team news to follow.
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