A gutless Everton performance saw Arsenal run out 5-1 winners on Saturday.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan made an instant impact on his first full start for the hosts as he teed up Aaron Ramsey’s opener at the Emirates Stadium within six minutes.

Things only got worse for the Blues as Laurent Koscielny and Ramsey added to the tally following some incredibly poor defending by Sam Allardyce’s side.

New Gunners signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang produced possibly the goal of the night with a feint chip over Jordan Pickford after a Mkhitarayan through ball.

Everton’s second-half performance marginally improved as Dominic Calvert-Lewin nodded home a reducer just minutes after replacing Theo Walcott.

However Ramsey put an end to any potential resurgence as he stroked home his third of the game from just outside the six-yard box.

Here were the key talking points from the Emirates:

Walcott continues to add dynamism

 

Everything looked set for Theo Walcott to haunt his old club after an impressive start to his Everton career with two goals and an assist in his first two games.

He was a player that the Blues had screaming out for all season, with a lack of dynamism and pace missing in vital parts of the field for the past six months.

With Ademola Lookman loaned to RB Leipzig and Aaron Lennon sold to Burnley, the burden of adding pace and endeavour out wide falls almost solely on Walcott.

Only time will tell whether the England international’s transfer will be a success for both the club and as well as the player, but the early signs are good.

Mangala effect may come too late

 

The most decaying aspect of Everton’s downfall this season has been their defence.

A big-money signing failing to shine in Michael Keane combined with an ageing back line suddenly underperforming has seen them plagued by regular mistakes.

That Eliaquim Mangala’s debut since joining on loan from Manchester City did not provide a galvanising moment will be a genuine concern for Sam Allardyce.

Mangala, in fairness, did little wrong individually; even showing off impressive runs into the Arsenal half and offered more of a confident defensive presence.

Allardyce will at least be hoping that his side’s latest addition is not too little too late with his side now sitting just seven points from safety after this humiliation.

Klaassen could revive weak midfield

 

Davy Klaassen’s continued exclusion has been somewhat a bizarre one.

Never really given a chance, the former Ajax captain has found a place in the team verging on impossible since the end of the previous calendar year.

Allardyce’s accusation that Klaassen was foolish not to seal a move to Napoli has no doubt added further strain on the pair’s already fraught working relationship.

However after an abject midfield display, particularly in the first half, the Everton manager may have to rethink his abrasive stance on the Dutch international.

Granted, Idrissa Gueye and Morgan Schneiderlin were feeding off scraps and tasked with the thankless job of shutting out an opposition eager to impress.

That should still in no way absolve their individual performances.

The pair lacked any real vigour or confidence throughout, only improving with Tom Davies’ impressive bursting runs aiding a lethargic side in the second half.

Everton are looking incredibly light in the middle of the park, not helped by James McCarthy’s recent injury, and could do far worse than recalling Klaassen.

Blues risk being the new Aston Villa

 

Setting up defensively is one thing; doing so to the point that your team is pummelled showed why Allardyce had lost this game before a ball was even kicked.

Two defensive midfielders and a back five was simply a defeat waiting to happen as the visitors were picked off relatively easy in an embarrassing first half.

By the time Allardyce decided to make changes, the game was already out of reach.

Only Davies’ introduction in the second half provided a brief upturn in fortunes as something this team had clearly demanded from the outset.

Games will come thick and fast in the weeks ahead and Everton risk ending up where Aston Villa found themselves not so long ago as a surprise relegation victim.