A rare start for Eddie Nketiah and Nicolas Pepe, with no Martinelli in the squad. Saka dropped to the bench in place of Kolasinac and Bellerin makes his 150th league appearance for Arsenal.
Here’s the game, minute by minute as it unfolded…
1. Everton kick the game off, shooting towards the North Bank first half. Ceballos gives away a foul within 10 seconds. …and we’re losing.
Goal for Everton! Dominic Calvert-Lewin with the acrobatics to make it 0-1 from the incoming free kick. Looked like very high and dangerous feet (see pic), but VAR doesn’t count when its against us, so it remains 1-0 – of course. Not the best of starts.
4. Ceballos makes another mistake, misplacing a pass to Iwobi, no harm done this time though.
5. Pepe cuts the ball back for Bellerin, who fires over Pickford’s bar.
6. Aubameyang finds some room down the left, but a good challenge from the Everton defender puts the ball out for a corner. Ozil to take from the left and Everton clear.
7. Ozil wins his side another corner, and will take. Everton clear, Aubameyang fouls Sidibe to give the visitors time to calm things down.
8. Alex Iwobi almost doubles Everton’s lead, rampaging down the Everton right but his strike goes over the top, just past the post.
9. Calvert-Lewin breaks through but Mustafi manages to get a tackle in before the shot – Everton corner is cleared.
12. Better from Arsenal, Bellerin wins a corner down the right. Pepe to cross it in. Mustafi gets a header away but its way over the bar.
14. Sidibe and Kolasinac both got for a header, our man coming off worse, falling awkwardly and is down on the turf. Saka warming up.
17. Kolasinac going off with a ‘Tierney sling’, has what looks like a shoulder injury, Saka coming on. Hideous start for Arsenal.
23. Nketiah fires over after being put through by Pepe.
24. Iwobi skies one, just like the old days.
25. Pepe curls a tame shot in to Pickford’s gloves. The Emirates noise levels goes up a notch.
26. GOAL! 1-1 !!!
The youngsters combine – Nketiah scores his first Emirates goal from a very decent Saka cross!
27. That was Saka’s TENTH assist of the season! Amazing!
30. Schneiderlin booked for Everton.
32. GOAL 2-1!!!
Aubameyang put through and it’s 2-1 to Arsenal – Auba with a Thierry Henry trademark finish!
35. Arsenal can smell another goal and Everton look rattled at the back, the ball finally finds its way back to Pickford.
36. Free kick in a dangerous area for the visitors, Leighton Baines sends over a dangerous cross, Arsenal struggle to clear but it’s finally away. Everton come again.
40. Saka goes down in the box under a challenge from Sidibe, clumsy challenge but he got the ball. No pen.
42. Arsenal looking much better now, better shape, nice passing, would be good to get one more before half time. Will be a few minutes added on as Kolasinac was down for a good 4/5 minutes.
43. Everton win another dangerous free kick thanks to another challenge from Nketiah. Baines to cross it in again… Richarlison heads over, good chance though.
45. Five extra minutes. Pepe does well down the right, but Leighton Baines is equal to it. Richarlison is booked for a nasty challenge on Bellerin right in front of the dugouts. Bit of a kerfuffle with extra handbags. Arteta furious, Bellerin back on his feet.
45 +3. Goal for Everton. Everton win a corner down their right. Richarlison bundles in the corner for 2-2. Looked like a foul on Leno, but would be a harsh one to disallow. Goal stands and its 2-2.
50. The half finishes 2-2 – two VERY poor goals to give away defensively. Good game tho so far. Let’s hope we can turn things around in the second half.
