Arsenal beat Everton 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday afternoon, with an early goal from Ezri Konsa and a second from Gabriel in the 68th minute. The win leaves them second in the Premier League after eight games.
The decisive moments
Arsenal scored inside seven minutes. Konsa got the goal, with Viktor Gyökeres credited with the assist.
Everton then had to chase the game, and the second half brought a run of bookings. Myles Lewis-Skelly was cautioned on 58 minutes for Arsenal. James Garner went into the book on 66 minutes.
Two minutes later the points were secure. Gabriel scored in the 68th minute, set up by Ben White. James Tarkowski was booked on 79 minutes, and Everton's three yellow cards, one of them for Vitaliy Mykolenko on 45+2, compare with Arsenal's one.
What the numbers say
The statistics show a comfortable home win. Arsenal had 58% of possession and took 20 shots to Everton's eight. They forced 12 corners to the visitors' three.
Not every shot tested the goalkeeper. Arsenal had four on target, six off target and 10 blocked. Everton managed three on target, with two off target and three blocked, so they were not shut out of the game entirely.
It fits what the season numbers suggested. Using expected goals data via Fantasy Premier League, which measures the quality of chances created, Arsenal average 1.71 xG for and 0.8 against per game this season. Everton's figures are 1.32 for and 1.36 against.
Saka leads Arsenal's xG list with 3.63 xG and three goals, but he was not in the starting line-up. FPL lists him as injured with a thigh problem and a 0% chance of playing, with no return date. Everton's Thierno Barry, who tops their list with 4.93 xG and three goals, started but did not score.
What it means
Arsenal have 21 points from eight games, with seven wins. That is level with leaders Manchester City, who are ahead on goal difference: City are on plus 11 and Arsenal on plus eight.
Everton are ninth with 10 points from eight games, with two wins and a goal difference of minus one. Their last five league games before this one brought one win, three draws and a defeat, and this result leaves them still searching for consistency.
Arsenal's record against Everton now reads better still. Before this game they had won four and drawn two of the previous six meetings without losing. The most recent of those was a 2-0 home win on 14 March 2026. Adding this result makes it five wins and two draws from the last seven.
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