Premier League: Everton 1-4 Arsenal - Match
Report
Arsenal are back on top of the Premier League.
They were restored to the summit thanks to Manchester Uniteds
defeat and then their own remarkable 4-1 comeback in a tempestuous
game at Goodison Park on Saturday evening that saw both sides
reduced to 10 men.
Tim Cahills goal deservedly gave the home side the advantage at
the break. But within 12 minutes of the restart Arsenal had
snatched the lead thanks to a fine brace from Eduardo, his first
strikes in the Premier League.
Nicklas Bendtners dismissal in the 73rd minute threatened to
unsettle the visitors as they started to look to the final whistle.
But, in the end, they were handed a third goal when Emmanuel
Abedayor profited from hesitancy between Joseph Yobo and Tim
Howard.
Mikel Arteta threw out an arm at Cesc Fabregas in the 84th minute
and also saw red. It undermined Evertons late rally and substitute
Tomas Rosicky added a fourth in injury time.
This was far from Arsenals best performance of the season but it
did illustrate, perhaps more than any other game this term, the
type of qualities they will need to win the title.
And, of course, they are now clear at the top by two points.
Wenger made three changes from the side held to a 0-0 draw at
Portsmouth on Boxing Day. All smacked of rotation in order to
accommodate the busy Christmas period. Emmanuel Eboue was rested
entirely while Adebayor and Rosicky were left on the bench. As a
result Bendtner and Eduardo were paired up front while Abou Diaby
came in on the left. Alex Hleb went from support striker to right
midfielder.
Just before kick-off, the visiting Arsenal supporters heard
confirmation of Manchester Uniteds defeat at West Ham. It meant
Wengers men would resume the lead of the Premier League with
victory this evening. That was no formality however. They faced an
Everton side who had a record of W12 D2 L1 in their last 15
games.
The start was scrappy. Arsenal were lively and inquisitive in the
opening minutes however the best chance they conjured up was a
goal-bound Fabregas shot that was blocked on the edge of the area.
In fact Everton keeper Tim Howard would have worry-free first
half.
As the game wore on, the home side took over - though Almunia was
hardly overworked either. Gradually Arteta and Cahill started to
find space in midfield while Yakubus muscle was proving a handful
for the Arsenal defence. In the 19th minute the Nigerian went
shoulder to shoulder with Kolo Toure, the visitors strongest
player, and won a corner on the left-hand side.
Arteta whipped it into the six-yard box and the Arsenal defence
hesitated. That was all that was required. The ball bobbled to the
far post where a combination of Yakubus head and Cahills foot
turned it home off the post. Eventually the strike was credited to
the Australian but, from an Arsenal perspective, it had been all
too easy.
Everton had been rightly confident before the goal. Afterwards they
were full of vigour and determination. Steven Pienaar pulled an
effort six yards wide of goal, Phil Neville drove over following a
flowing move and, just before the whistle, Arteta forced a low save
from Almunia.
Arsenal rallied briefly as the seconds ticked away but they could
hardly argue with the scoreline at the interval.
But what a change after the restart.
Three minutes in, Clichys long ball forward caught the home
defence napping. It flew over the backtracking Phil Jagielka and
fell to the scampering Eduardo who showed commendable nerve to
steer home his shot under pressure from three recovering
defenders.
It was the Croatians first goal in 10 Premier League appearances
and Arsenals 800th in the competition under Wenger.
Everton were suddenly subdued while the visitors had a spring in
their step and a bite in their challenge.
However just before Arsenal took the lead, the home side spurned a
superb chance to score a second themselves. Joleon Lescott fired
over a cross from the left and Yakubu escaped from Toure to steer a
powerful header wide.
Still Everton had already paid painful witness to Eduardos
poaching ability and, in the 58th minute, he added a second. The
24-year-old collected Bendtners flick on the edge of the area,
nudged the ball past Jagielka, ran around the other side and then
slipped the ball past Howard.
A wonderful finish from an expert poacher.
Everton were stung. They did not deserve to be losing on the
balance of play while Arsenal were attempting to pull off to a
classic snatch-and-grab the staple diet of Premier League
champions.
However their chances of a clean getaway were dented in the 73rd
minute when Bendtner picked up a second booking for a foul on Andy
Johnson.
It was certainly a rash challenge but the dismissal was all the
more distressing as Adebayor had been waiting to come on for a
couple of minutes. With Eduardo on a hat-trick, it would seem safe
to assume the Dane was about to be substituted.
The red card only added to the mounting Everton momentum. Almunia
saved from both Johnsons flick-on and Lee Carsleys low shot in
the 76th minute.
However for all their reputation for flowing football, it was a
route-one goal that sealed the game two minutes later. Adebayor
nipped in as Joseph Yobo tried to shepherd Almunias long punt
forward towards his keeper. The Togolese strikers touch bounced
off Howards leg and fell kindly for him to race clear and tap the
ball into the empty net.
The drama was not over. Six minutes from time Arteta received a
straight red card for lashing out at Fabregas. The second dismissal
brought a simmering game to the boil in the final few minutes
Rosicky fired in a fourth at the death. That was harsh on Everton
who had bossed the game for much of the first half.
But, as well as a fluent side, Arsenal are a ruthless side these
days.
And they are all the better for it.
