Everton moved to second in the Premier League with a 2-1 win over Arsenal.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin broke the deadlock on 23 minutes with a header from Alex Iwobi’s cross on the right that was deflected into the net by Rob Holding.
The Blues were later pegged back when Tom Davies fouled Ashley Maitland-Niles in the penalty area, allowing Nicolas Pepe to equalise from the spot.
But Yerry Mina restored the hosts’ advantage on the stroke of half time when he rose highest to meet Gylfi Sigurdsson’s corner into the Park End goal.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side now sit behind only leaders Liverpool, who have a five-point cushion, after racking up a hat-trick of victories over the past week.
Here were the key talking points from Goodison Park:
Christmas comes early for Carlo
A year since his remarkable appointment, Carlo Ancelotti is sitting pretty.
Everton’s ascent to second in the Premier League table may be an overnight feat with three teams potentially usurping them following tomorrow’s games.
But there can be no disputing that Goodison Park is a far happier and richer place for Ancelotti’s presence ahead of his 12-month anniversary on Monday.
Fans returning to the Grand Old Lady were treated to a second resilient display in the space of seven days against elite-level London opposition.
Arsenal appointed one-time Blues favourite Mikel Arteta at the same time as the Italian’s arrival sent genuine shockwaves through the footballing world.
A cursory glance at the teams’ respective fortunes shows that Everton made the better choice in plumping for Ancelotti over other potential candidates.
Caution means they cannot declare it a truly merry Christmas until the Carabao Cup quarter final with Manchester United is successfully negotiated.
Still, Everton occupying one of the Champions League places as the season approaches its midway stage is a welcome early festive gift for Ancelotti.
Timing is everything with Mina
For a defender, Yerry Mina has an impeccable sense of timing in front of goal.
The Colombia international’s habit of scoring at opportune moments is a recurring theme as his header proved the difference against Arsenal.
All of Mina’s last four goals in an Everton shirt have now arrived either on the stroke of 45 minutes or during time added on at the end of the first half.
Such an innate knack for cropping up when his team need to settle the nerves right before the break has become a highly useful trait for Ancelotti’s side.
In the right place at the right time again, Mina turned the ball home at the front post from Gylfi Sigurdsson’s corner past a helpless Bernd Leno.
In tandem with Michael Keane, the ex-Barcelona centre-back also successfully helped nullify Arsenal’s front line of Eddie Nketiah, Nicolas Pepe and Willian.
Timing really is everything in football and Mina does not miss a beat.
Allan absence not being felt yet
Losing Allan through a hamstring injury threatened to derail Everton’s season.
The Brazilian had been such a reassuring presence within the midfield that any potential absence was considered to be nothing less than catastrophic.
Between the combination of Tom Davies and Abdoulaye Doucoure, however, his loss was not as keenly felt as anticipated against a struggling Arsenal.
Granted, Davies’ foul on Ashley Maitland-Niles was careless and allowed Arteta’s side an undue foothold back in the game through Pepe’s penalty kick.
It should still not detract from an otherwise solid display by the homegrown player, who was thrust into the limelight by Andre Gomes’ fitness concern.
Complimenting Davies was the presence of Doucoure alongside, with the enforcer comfortably Everton’s man of the match in this hard-fought win.
He rarely appeared troubled in possession and utilised his strength and stature to weave around tackles flying in from Arsenal players at will.
United’s visit will provide a greater litmus test of how Everton fare without Allan but the current signs are that the worst-case fears may be downgraded.
DCL: a constant menace
Goals alone do not define Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s role in this Everton team.
The England international should really have been credited with the opener on his 150th club appearance that was instead chalked down as an own goal.
Any disappointment Calvert-Lewin felt at seeing his header awarded to Rob Holding still did not show as he routinely terrorised the visitors’ defence.
He was a constant menace from all areas in attack, notably with a left-footed drive from outside the box which Leno barely managed to palm away.
Defensively, too, he was excellent; joining Richarlison in mucking in to help out their teammates when the ball was away from their main stock in trade.
Attitude and aptitude dovetail seemlessly for Calvert-Lewin. At both ends of the pitch, he is proving integral to a team with genuine European aspirations.