Everton’s unbeaten run of seven games has come to an end after a spirited performance was marred by poor defensive errors allowing Arsenal to run out 2-1 winners.
This fixture now brings about the meeting of the second and third longest serving managers in the Premier League.
And since David Moyes ascension to Premier League management the landscape at Goodison has changed enough for Arsene Wenger to know that when he brings his team to the Blue half of Liverpool, they’re going to be in a game.
That proved to be the case with the Gunner’s employing a fighting spirit, not normally associated with their own stylish brand of finesse football, in order to hang on to three valuable points.
After some midfield sparring in the opening minutes, the game spring to life in the 10th.
The Blues launched a counter attack from an Arsenal corner, with Tim Cahill releasing Seamus Coleman who had the whole Arsenal half in front of him.
The plucky Irishman fended off Cesc Fabregas for 40 yards before picking out Tim Cahill in space at the back post.
His header was uncharacteristically tame and Everton’s best chance so far went begging.
With both teams trying to create openings in a crowded midfield area, the first half became a fractious affair.
John Heitinga’s attempts to establish physical dominance in the middle of the park culminated in a needless shove on Jack Wilshere. That forced Howard Webb to reach for his card, more for persistent fouling than that offence itself.
Everton enjoyed good possession in the first half with Steven Pienaar finding room in-field to be the links in the Blues advances.
But Arsenal seized on their hosts intent in the 36th minute. And with the South African caught out of position, Samir Nasri set off on a run which ended in his 18-yard effort being palmed away by Tim Howard.
The American’s save fell to Andrei Arshavin and he had the vision to lay a neat ball back to Bakary Sagna. Given too much too much room in the area, the right back rifled a shot into the roof of the Everton goal sending the travelling Arsenal fans into raptures.
Boos rang out at the half time whistle, but they weren’t aimed at the Everton players, who had competed most departments with Arsenal. The fans’ ire was for Howard Webb whose inconsistent display had riled the home support.
The second half saw a midfield change a piece for the two sides, with first half combatants Wilshere and Heitinga both pulled from the action.
That saw the introduction of Denilson for Arsenal, and the Brazilian got straight into the action, setting up Arsenal’s second, on 50 minutes.
His forward run led to a great interchange of play between Fabregas and Chamakh, their one-two inside a crowded box gave the Spaniard space to fire a low shot into the left hand corner of Tim Howards net, and that gave Everton a second half mountain to climb.
As Moyes’ men proceeded to do so, the game opened up into an end to end affair.
Samir Nasri found freedom on the flanks with Everton’s full-backs joining in every attack, and he stung the palms of Tim Howard on the hour mark before regaining possession to slide in Marouane Chamakh. Four yards out and with the goal at his mercy, the striker lifted his shot over unbelievably.
As the game became more frantic with each passing minute, the Goodison Park crowd were not left wanting for flashpoints.
Cesc Fabregas, apparently unconcerned by the fallout of his horror tackle on Stephen Ward in the week, slid in late on Sylvain Distin in uncomfortably fashion. The Spaniard again walked away with a booking, adding fuel to the home fans’ rage.
And the Gunners might have been reduced to 10 men just six minutes later when Sebastian Squillaci scythed down Louis Saha, who looked to be through on goal. Howard Webb adjudged Gael Clichy to be covering and brandished the centre back with a yellow card as the boos rang out around Goodison.
David Moyes made the change that retrieved him a point in midweek, with the introduction of Yakubu and Jermaine Beckford. Making way was Mikel Arteta who was anonymous all afternoon in the middle of the park, overshadowed by his fellow countryman Fabregas who showcased is ability to play ugly and effective.
Beckford, still brimming with confidence after his point saving strike against Bolton on Wednesday, was the first of the substitutes to go close. He spun and struck a shot which appeared bottom corner bound.
Fabianski’s excellent save from that shot was the first in a string which kept Everton at bay for most of the second half.
The Pole, who has been heavily criticised this season, made inspired saves from Pienaar, Saha as Everton piled on the late pressure.
Arsenal’s resistance was finally broken in the 89th minute when Louis Saha nodded down a high cross for Tim Cahill to bundle into the Gunner’s net.
Hopes of a Manchester United-style rescue job were short lived as Arsene Wenger’s side used their expert ball keeping ability to wind down the four added minutes of stoppage time.
Everton ‘s unbeaten run has come to an end after seven games, and David Moyes said his team can have no complaints after failing to excite the Goodison crowd.
He said: “I didn’t think that we played that well, I didn’t think that Arsenal played that well either, but it was quiet around Goodison today.
“I don’t think we did enough to excite the crowd.
“I wanted us to keep up the spirit and keep up the tempo, and maybe if we’d have got the goal earlier we could have got something.”
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Everton (4-5-1): Howard, Baines, Distin, Jagielka, Neville (Beckford, 68), Heitinga (Rodwell, 46) , Arteta (Yakubu, 68), Coleman, Pienaar, Cahill Saha
Subs: Mucha, Hibbert, Bilyaletdinov, Beckford, Gueye, Yakubu, Rodwell
Arsenal (4-3-3-): Fabianski, Sagna, Squillaci, Djourou, Clichy, Fabregas, Arshavin (Rosicky, 65), Wilshere (Denilson, 46), Song, Nasri, Chamakh (Eboue, 90)
Subs: Szczesny, Rosicky, Van Persie, Walcott, Denilson, Eboue, Gibbs.
Goals: Sagna 38, Fabregas 48, Cahill 89
Red:
Yellow: Heitinga, 25, Squillaci, 49, Fabregas, 50, Coleman 89
Ref: H Webb
RA’s: A Madley, D Richardson
Att: 36,279
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By Aaron Sharp @ Goodison Park
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