Arsenal reclaimed the Premier League summit following a narrow 1-0 win against Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium. The Gunners' sole goal came from the penalty spot, courtesy of Viktor Gyokeres, after Jake O'Brien's comical handball in the first half. Despite Everton's protests for two penalties in the second half, Arsenal held firm to secure the three points.
The decisive moment came in the 27th minute when O'Brien, in an attempt to clear the ball, struck it with both hands above his head. Gyokeres stepped up and converted the penalty past Jordan Pickford, despite the Everton goalkeeper's attempts to delay the kick. The Sweden international's cool finish handed Arsenal a lead they would not relinquish.
Everton, who struggled to create clear-cut chances in the first half, believed they should have been awarded a penalty early in the second half. Thierno Barry went down after a challenge from Martin Zubimendi, but referee Samuel Barrott waved away the appeals. Later, Barry appeared to be fouled by William Saliba, but both the on-field officials and VAR deemed no infringement had occurred.
The victory propels Arsenal above Manchester City at the Christmas break, with crucial Premier League fixtures against Brighton, Aston Villa, and Bournemouth on the horizon. Before that, they face Crystal Palace in the delayed Carabao Cup quarter-final.
**Player Ratings:**
**Goalkeeper & Defence:**
- **David Raya (7/10):** A quiet evening for the goalkeeper, who dealt with everything that came his way.
- **Ricciardo Calafiori (7/10):** Put in a solid defensive shift, handling Everton's attacks down the right flank.
- **Piero Hincapie (6/10):** Kept a high line but was fortunate not to receive a yellow card for a shirt pull.
- **William Saliba (6/10):** Had a fortunate escape after a potential penalty incident, with VAR taking time to review.
- **Jurrien Timber (7/10):** Impressive at both ends of the pitch, supporting Saka and making key passes.
**Midfield:**
- **Martin Odegaard (7/10):** Satisfied with his side's performance, putting in the hard yards to defend the lead.
- **Martin Zubimendi (6/10):** Fully committed but lucky not to concede a penalty after a challenge on Barry.
- **Declan Rice (7/10):** A steady performance, breaking up play and making life difficult for Everton.
**Attack:**
- **Bukayo Saka (7/10):** A constant threat but failed to create many clear-cut chances.
- **Viktor Gyokeres (7/10):** Confident penalty but had few other chances, receiving a yellow card late on.
- **Leandro Trossard (8/10):** Involved in most of Arsenal's good moments, unlucky to hit the post with a curling effort.
**Substitutes & Manager:**
- **Gabriel Jesus (7/10):** Some promising touches but no major impact after replacing Gyokeres.
- **Gabriel Martinelli (6/10):** Limited involvement after coming on for Trossard.
- **Mikel Merino (N/A):** Late substitute, replacing Odegaard with minutes remaining.
- **Mikel Arteta (7/10):** Pleased with his side's resilience and grit, digging deep to secure the victory.
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