Arsenal will head into Christmas in first place in the Premier League after they overcame Everton 1-0 on Saturday.
2025/2026 Premier League
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Match Report
Mikel Arteta's team found themselves in second place ahead of kick-off at Hill Dickinson Stadium, with Manchester City moving above them after a 3-0 win over West Ham.
However, Viktor Gyokeres' 27th-minute penalty proved decisive against an Everton side missing key attackers Iliman Ndiaye and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.
It was ultimately a moment of madness from Jake O'Brien that helped decide the contest, with the Everton defender inexplicably handling while trying to clear a Declan Rice corner.
Gyokeres lashed in the penalty, though that was one of just two shots on target that Arsenal managed, with Bukayo Saka seeing a shot cleared off the line in the second half.
A much-improved Everton wanted a penalty when Thierno Barry was clipped by William Saliba, but the VAR deemed there not to be enough contact to call referee Samuel Barrott to the screen.
The game opened up as Everton pushed for an equaliser, and Arsenal became a threat on the break. Leandro Trossard first hit the post after a sweeping move from the visitors before Martin Zubimendi also struck the woodwork from Saka's cutback.
But with Everton short of attacking threat, one goal did the job for Arsenal.
Taking all three points back to N5 pic.twitter.com/yJZTdyozYb
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) December 20, 2025
Data Debrief: Gyokeres stays perfect from the spot
Arsenal would have felt the win was deserved in the end, producing 1.81 expected goals (xG) from 13 shots to Everton's 0.2 from five attempts, but they left to be desired with their finishing in the final third.
It was an intense midfield battle, with Rice winning possession most often (10) and recording the most touches (114) and accurate passes (87), while Tim Iroegbunam, in for the absent Idrissa Gueye, won eight of his 10 duels and six of his seven tackles in the middle of the park.
Gyokeres, though, made the difference. Since the start of his first season with Sporting CP (2023-24), the Sweden international has converted all 19 penalties he has taken in league competition (17/17 in the Primeira Liga and 2/2 in the Premier League).
Match Events
0' The match is about to start!
0' Home fans show huge tifo in Merseyside
15' 15 minutes in and neither team have had a shot yet
19' Zubimendi's shot flies to sky
20' Gyokeres' header wide out
23' Gyokeres goes down in box and no penalty
27' Penalty Goal! Gyökeres scores following O'Brien's handball! Everton 0-1 Arsenal
39' Yellow Card! Tarkowski booked
44' Great ball from Saliba to Gyokeres but great block by James Tarkowski
46' Calafiori on the deck. He fell awkwardly after a 50/50 aerial challenge
50' Highlight from Everton vs Arsenal
51' Tarkowski off the line and saves Everton. Saka with the shot
57' Saliba seems to have a foul in the box but ref says no pen
64' Great slick football from Arsenal leading up to that Trossard shot
65' Gyokeres off, Jesus on
69' Zubimendi hits the woodwork
71' Match Event for Everton vs Arsenal
80' Trossard out, Martinelli in
Line-ups
Everton XI: Pickford, Tarkowski, Keane, Grealish, Vitaliy Mykolenko, McNeil, Garner, Carlos Alcaraz, Jake O'Brien, Tim Iroegbunam, Thierno Barry
Subs: Tom King, Travers, Beto, Nathan Patterson, Reece Welch, Merlin Röhl, Tyler Dibling, Elijah Campbell, Aznou
Arsenal XI: Trossard, David Raya, Ødegaard, Rice, Viktor Gyökeres, Martín Zubimendi, Saliba, Saka, Timber, Calafiori, Hincapie
Subs: Christian Nørgaard, Kepa, Merino, Jesus, Eberechi Eze, Martinelli, Madueke, Nwaneri, Lewis-Skelly