Everton 2-5 Arsenal: Premier League goals, match report
Five different Arsenal players were on the scoresheet as the Gunners overcame Wayne Rooney's opener to deservedly win at Goodison Park.
Everton 2-5 Arsenal: full-time summary
A dominant Arsenal ensured manager Arsène Wenger enjoyed a happy 68th birthday on Sunday afternoon, comprehensively seeing off ten-man Everton at Goodison Park to get back to winning ways in the Premier League - and pile the pressure on Toffees boss Ronald Koeman.
Rooney rolls back years to put Everton in front, Monreal levels
Almost 15 years to the day since his wonder goal against the Gunners saw him announce himself to the football world, Wayne Rooney fired the hosts into a 12th-minute lead with a sweet, curling shot from the edge of the box.
However, Arsenal had the better of the play throughout, and deservedly equalised shortly before half time when Nacho Monreal reactest quickest to Jordan Pickford's parry to net from close range.
Özil, Lacazette, Ramsey and Alexis all score as Arsenal hit five
Back in the XI after sitting out Arsenal's defeat at Watford last weekend, Mesut Özil, Alexis Sánchez and Aaron Ramsey were instrumental as the visitors then proceeded to put daylight between themselves and the hosts after the break.
Özil headed in Sánchez's 53rd-minute cross to put Wenger's men in front, before providing the cross for Alexandre Lacazette to fire the North Londoners 3-1 ahead with a quarter of an hour remaining.
Minutes before Arsenal's third, Everton's Idrissa Gueye had seen red after receiving a second booking for a clumsy foul on Granit Xhaka.
Ramsey and Sánchez added a fourth and fifth late on with clinical, low finishes, either side of a comical consolation for Oumar Niasse, who tapped into an empty net after a mix-up between Monreal and Arsenal keeper Petr Cech.
Everton end weekend in drop zone
Arsenal move up to fifth, level on points with fourth-placed champions Chelsea, while the heavy defeat sees Everton slip into the relegation zone on goal difference, cranking up the heat further on the under-fire Koeman.
Everton 2-5 Arsenal: as it happened
Everton vs Arsenal live online: match preview
To say that it’s currently no bed of roses at Goodison Park would be an understatement as Everton host fellow Europa League wayfarers Arsenal on Sunday. The pressure is mounting on Everton boss Ronald Koeman as his expensive, high-expectation side continues to disappoint, spluttering to underwhelming performances in Europe and domestically. The Toffees’ huffed and puffed to a laboured draw against Brighton last weekend and, unfortunately, their Europa League tie against Lyon was more fuel-to-flames stuff, rather than a corner turned, as they slumped to another defeat, planting them firmly at the bottom of Group E.
The dismal atmosphere of defeat was worsened further by a brawl, a life-time ban for one fan and a subsequent police investigation. The corresponding fixture last season marked a turning point in Everton’s fortunes and Koeman will be hoping and praying for a similar result to ease the pressure and lift Everton away from the dreaded bottom three.
Of course, Arsène Wenger is no stranger to unrest and agitation. But despite the perennial accusations of the Gunners’ soft underbelly and their manager's stubborn refusal to change his approach – in evidence last week as Wenger’s men were felled by the aggression of Watford and a controversial late penalty – Arsenal have only lost once in nine league and cup games. A fine Oliver Giroud strike in a 1-0 win away to Red Star Belgrade on Thursday will no doubt have lifted spirits for this encounter.
Everton
Against Lyon, Koeman seemed to be taking note of the opinions flying around from pundits and fans as he plumped for Davies in midfield and went with pace in attack, starting with Vlasic, Mirallas and Calvert-Lewin as his front three. Wayne Rooney, rested in mid-week, is set to make a return, possibly in the number 10 role, while Gylfi Sigurdsson, Leighton Baines, Idrissa Gueye and Phil Jagielka could all return to the side. Schneiderlin remains a doubt with a thigh injury.
Arsenal
As they currently sit just outside the European spots, Wenger will be keen to keep his side within touching distance of the leading pack and will welcome the possible return of Alexis Sanchez. Aaron Ramsey and Laurent Koscielny, however, remain doubts and await the results of last-minute fitness tests. This fixture marks the Arsenal manager’s 400thaway fixture in the Premier League, although a draw or defeat here will see his team go five away games in the league without a win.
Everton vs Arsenal live online: selected betting odds
Arsenal are the camel coats' favourites for victory at Goodison, with Everton priced at a little over fours. A decent shout is both sides to score in the first half, which pays out at 4/1. In the scorer stakes, you can get 7/1 on probable Everton penalty taker Wayne Rooney to score first.