Everton v Arsenal: Premier League – live

At the start of November, Arsenal won 2-0 at Burnley to go seven points clear at the top of the Premier League. They were anointed in some quarters as champions-elect. But since that day, Mikel Arteta’s team have failed to win an away match in the division. They conceded a last-gasp equaliser at Sunderland. They failed to beat ten-man Chelsea. They lost, late on again, at Aston Villa. Then earlier this afternoon, Manchester City beat West Ham United 3-0, and now look …

Oh Arsenal. Factor in their unconvincing and, let’s face it, extremely fortunate win over bottom club Wolves last weekend, and Gunners fans can be forgiven for worrying if their tale is in the process of unravelling just like that yet again.

Whether or not the Hill Dickinson is the best venue for the title hopefuls to rediscover their road game is moot. Since winning 5-2 at Goodison Park in late 2017 under Arsène Wenger, Arsenal’s record when visiting the blue half of Merseyside isn’t great: won one, drawn two, lost four. But that victory came relatively recently, in September 2023, while last season’s meeting ended in a draw, so they’re unbeaten in this fixture in two.

And it’s not as though the wheels have come clanking off the Arsenal juggernaut in spectacular style: they’ve still only lost twice all season in all competitions, after all. By comparison, Everton are almost the dictionary definition of unpredictability^†, capable of street-fighting grit at Old Trafford, a stylish win over Nottingham Forest, and miserable home capitulations to Newcastle and Tottenham. David Moyes side must also tonight do without their two standout performers of the season so far, with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall injured and Iliman Ndiaye away at Afcon.

So there’s hope for Arsenal as they look for the win that’d put them back on top of the tree for Christmas. As for Everton, their pressure is a little less intense: comfortable in mid-table, they’ll be looking to build on a promising run of two wins (against Bournemouth and Forest) and a defeat at Chelsea for which they got good notices. Kick-off is at 8pm GMT. It’s on!

^{†: They’re not the dictionary definition of unpredictability. That’d be the Carolina Panthers of the NFL.}