Gyokeres penalty sends scrappy Arsenal top with win at Everton

Jake O'Brien's handball gifted Arsenal the penalty which won the game

Arsenal's Viktor Gyokeres scored his seventh goal for the club since his move from Sporting Lisbon. Pic: Peter Byrne/PA Wire.

Premier League: Everton 0 Arsenal 1 

Viktor Gyokeres' first-half penalty ensured Arsenal will spend Christmas at the top of the Premier League, but this was hardly a performance of champions.

Mikel Arteta would have been encouraged to see his team respond to being knocked off the summit for the first time since October by Manchester City's win earlier in the day.

The sight of seeing City appear in their rear-view mirror in recent weeks seems to have spooked the Gunners. They did enough to get over the line at Hill Dickinson Stadium and will go into the festive season as No.1.

But they were top in 2022 and 2023 as well - and finished second to City both times. After losing the title to Liverpool last season, a fourth runners-up berth would be Arteta's worst nightmare.

Before the game, Everton's fans unfurled a huge tifo declaring their love for the club 'on the banks of the Royal Blue Mersey.'

The Toffees, without the injured Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and AFCON-bound Iliman Ndiaye and Idrissa Gueye, were typically organised without the ball but pretty awful with it.

Arsenal were not much better in the opening 26 minutes, so David Moyes would have been furious at the way his team quite literally handed the visitors the lead.

Defender Jake O'Brien got lucky when referee Sam Barrott failed to see a clear nudge on Gyokeres that prevented the Swedish striker from nodding home Jurrien Timber's deflected cross from a yard out.

VAR failed to intervene that time. But when the Irishman then used both hands to knock Declan Rice's corner away from Riccardo Calafiori, this time Mr Barrott was summoned to the pitchside monitor to take another look.

Gyokeres hadn't missed a penalty in the league in almost three years, since his Coventry City days. His fierce drive beyond Jordan Pickford made it 19 on the bounce. It was only his seventh goal since arriving from Sporting Lisbon for £64 million in the summer.

Only James Tarkowski's block prevented Bukayo Saka doubling the Gunners' lead early in the second half after a clever exchange of passes with Timber.

One-nil to the Arsenal used to be a North London battle cry, but the Gunners have looked vulnerable in recent weeks.

Arteta's side were themselves lucky not to be punished when William Saliba clearly caught Thierno Barry late in the penalty area.

That sparked a response that saw Leandro Trossard hit the post with a chance he should have taken before Martin Zubimendi struck the same upright with a snap shot.

Arsenal restored their two-point lead in the end and Arteta's delight at the final whistle was clear. But they will need to improve to keep their challengers at bay.

EVERTON (4-2-3-1): Pickford 6; O'Brien 5, Tarkowski 7, Keane 7, Mykolenko 7; Garner 6, Iroegbunam 6; McNeil 6 (Dibling 75, 5), Alcaraz 5 (Rohl 76, 5), Grealish 5, Barry 5 (Beto 66, 5).

ARSENAL (4-3-3): Raya 6; Timber 7, Saliba 7, Hincapie 6, Calafiori 7; Odegaard 6 (Merino 87), Zubimendi 7, Rice 8; Saka 6, Gyokeres 6 (Jesus 65, 5) , Trossard 6 (Martinelli 80, 5).

Referee: Samuel Barrott.