Iliman Ndiaye's penalty salvaged a point for Everton as they fought back to draw 1-1 with Arsenal in the Premier League on Saturday.
2024/2025 Premier League
1-1
Match Report
Perhaps with one eye on the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie against Real Madrid on Tuesday, Arsenal started without Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, but the rotated visitors controlled the first half.
Playing as Arsenal's central striker, Leandro Trossard gave Mikel Arteta's visitors a deserved lead in the 34th minute.
After Raheem Sterling capitalised on Idrissa Gueye's wayward header and scampered upfield, Trossard received his pass, shifted the ball onto his left foot and drilled home.
Trossard went close to adding a second goal just before half-time, and Everton were booed off by their supporters after failing to lay a glove on Arsenal.
However, the game turned on an error from Myles Lewis Skelly just 47 seconds after the restart. After being beaten by the bounce of the ball, he wrapped his arms around Jack Harrison then fell onto his opponent's calf inside the Arsenal area.
Ndiaye sent David Raya the wrong way from 12 yards, and Everton improved from there despite Arteta introducing his big-name attackers from the bench.
Martinelli drew a full-stretch save from Jordan Pickford late on and Mikel Merino sent a header wide, but neither team mounted a sustained push for a winner.
Arsenal are now 11 points behind runaway leaders Liverpool, who visit Fulham on Sunday and need a maximum of 11 more points to win the title.
Everton move above Tottenham to go 14th on 35 points.
Data debrief: Game of two halves
Everton were desperately poor in the first half, failing to record a single shot on target and drawing jeers from their own fans at the whistle.
Arsenal, to their credit, looked reinvigorated in attack with Trossard leading the line – the Belgian also netted in this exact fixture last season, becoming the first Gunners player to score at Goodison Park in back-to-back campaigns since Alexis Sanchez in 2016-17 and 2017-18.
His last five goals for Arsenal had all proven to be the winner, but that would not be the case here as Ndiaye profited from Lewis-Skelly's mistake.
Ndiaye has now scored four goals in his last five Premier League starts, more than he managed in his first 18 in the competition (three).
Arsenal had 77.7% of the possession after the break but could only match Everton's two shots on target as their performance – much like their title charge – fizzled out.
Match Events
0' The match is about to start!
2' Iroegbunam blocks Sterling's shot after White's run & Pickford's poor clearance!
4' Highlight from Everton vs Arsenal
8' Beto can't shoot from right & Doucoure faces same issue after a clever backheel!
17' O'Brien can't adjust and the ball hits him before being hacked away by visitors!
24' Branthwaite tackles Trossard after Tarkowski's pass let Arsenal break quickly!
31' Highlight from Everton vs Arsenal
34' Sterling assists Trossard to open the scoring for Gunners! Everton 0-1 Arsenal
37' Match Event for Everton vs Arsenal
39' Physios on for both players following a clash of heads between O'Brien & Merino!
48' Trossard cuts in from left, evades Tarkowski's tackle & fires a low shot saved!
49' Penalty Goal! Iliman Ndiaye sends Raya the wrong way! Everton 1-1 Arsenal
51' Doucoure's shot from a narrowing angle is beaten away by Raya at his near post!
60' White off, Timber on!
63' Yellow Card! Tarkowski booked for bringing down Lewis-Skelly!
65' Pickford positions himself well to beat away Rice's scorching free kick!
68' Highlight from Everton vs Arsenal
82' Martinelli links with Tierney on the left, but Odegaard skews the cut back wide!
84' Martinelli forces Pickford into more action as he pushes away a thumping shot!
88' Merino meets Tierney's delicious cross but heads well wide!
Line-ups
Everton XI: Gueye, Pickford, Doucoure, Tarkowski, Jack Harrison, Beto, Iliman Ndiaye, Jarrad Branthwaite, Nathan Patterson, Jake O'Brien, Tim Iroegbunam
Subs: Young, Coleman, Keane, João Virgínia, McNeil, Garner, Armando Broja, Carlos Alcaraz, Chermiti
Arsenal XI: Trossard, Sterling, Jorginho, David Raya, Merino, Rice, Ben White, Saliba, Kiwior, Nwaneri, Lewis-Skelly
Subs: Neto, Partey, Zinchenko, Tierney, Ødegaard, Martinelli, Saka, Timber, Jimi Gower