Arsenal face tricky Premier League test against a strong Everton away from home

[p]Pep Guardiola's side don't kick off their game at [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/west-ham/Cxq57r8g/"]West Ham[/a] until after the result from the Emirates Stadium is known.[/p][h2]Gyokeres the difference in the last meeting[/h2][p]So, there will either be more pressure on [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/manchester-city/Wtn9Stg0/"]City[/a] to get a win to keep pace, or, should [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/everton/KluSTr9s/"]Everton[/a] have taken at least a point back to Merseyside, it will give Guardiola's charges the impetus to draw even closer to the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/arsenal/hA1Zm19f/"]Gunners[/a].[/p][p]In their final Premier League fixture before the festive period, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/arteta-mikel/lAbHYaQM/"]Mikel Arteta[/a]'s side took the slenderest of wins back to North London, beating the Toffees 1-0 thanks to a 27th-minute [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gyokeres-viktor/zaBZ1xIk/"]Viktor Gyokeres[/a] penalty.[/p][embed guid="c1b423b0-3e1c-41aa-a9a4-3e19d46fdf51" url="https://x.com/premierleague/status/2002476941094564179?lang=en" social-type="twitter" /][p]That strike is one of 10 that the Swedish international has scored this season, making him Arsenal's leading scorer at this point, and it led to Arsenal topping the Premier League table at Christmas for the fifth time.[/p][p]However, on the previous four occasions the Gunners were top on December 25th, they only managed to finish second (2002/03, 2022/23, 2023/24) or third (2007/08).[/p][h2]Everton's poor record at the Emirates[/h2][p]That December win was also one of six games that Arsenal have remained unbeaten in against Everton, with Saturday's visitors not managing to secure all three points against the North Londoners since February 2023. [/p][p]In that time, they've only scored two goals against Arsenal, whilst conceding nine, and Arteta's side are currently on a seven-match unbeaten run.[/p][image alt="Arsenal v Everton - Recent head-to-head results" id="44897667-2dc0-4812-87c9-8f905a35ee18" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="cba28d54-67b3-4031-b25b-9c9df4db5263" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p]Everton have won just one of their last 29 away league games against Arsenal (D5 L23) too, picking up a 1-0 win in April 2021, and the hosts have lost only once at the Emirates Stadium throughout 2025/26 (11W, 2D).[/p][p]The Toffees, in all likelihood, will therefore once again have their work cut out if they want to emerge with any credit after Saturday's fixture.[/p][h2]European hopes for Moyes[/h2][p]That said, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/moyes-david/hUGEt9yf/"]David Moyes[/a]' side is on a six-match away unbeaten run of their own, and the Scot will want to impress upon his playing staff how close they are to the European places at this stage - just five points behind [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/chelsea/4fGZN2oK/"]Chelsea[/a] in the chase for a Europa League spot.[/p][p]Moyes won on his last visit to the Emirates with West Ham, and that need for points makes his team the most dangerous of opponents for their hosts.[/p][image alt="Arsenal and Everton's current Premier League positions" id="ccfe94af-99fd-4d2c-a555-143a61bae76a" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="2c080428-00c6-4fb1-9802-d229ae0b69ca" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p]Indeed, goals have been spread throughout the side with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dewsbury-hall-kiernan/p2OLMO3D/"]Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/barry-thierno/KYQuxWEL/"]Thierno Barry[/a] scoring six times each, and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ndiaye-iliman/Im0c6Oy7/"]Iliman Ndiaye[/a] bagging five.[/p][p]It's also worth pondering the fact that, before Arsenal's recent run against them, Everton had actually won four of the previous five meetings.[/p][h2]Unwanted record for Pickford[/h2][p]Furthermore, only the Gunners have won more Premier League away games (nine) this season than Everton (seven), and the Toffees have won four of their last five away games in the top-flight, drawing the other, so there are definitely reasons to offer more than a little hope for the visitors.[/p][p]The expectation that the hosts might pull out their set-piece routine at some point is quite high, and Arsenal have actually scored more set-piece goals than any other team in the top-flight in 2025/26 (24 including penalties, 21 excluding). [/p][embed guid="bfce95ce-0db5-4350-a68f-df7d55938937" url="https://x.com/Everton/status/2032064196226015557" social-type="twitter" /][p]They may find it more difficult than normal to execute them, however, as no team has conceded fewer goals from set-piece situations than Everton (eight, including penalties, six excluding).[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/pickford-jordan/SKTJdUtH/"]Jordan Pickford[/a] certainly won't want to concede from any situation, set-piece or otherwise, given that if Arsenal score two against him, he'll have become the ninth goalkeeper in EPL history to have let in 500 goals in the competition. [/p][h2]Arsenal have scored most EPL goals and conceded the least[/h2][p]With 59 scored already in the league this season, Arsenal have the joint most goals along with Man City, whilst their shot conversion rate of 19% is also the best in the league.[/p][p]14 clean sheets in their 30 league games can't be beaten either, meaning [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/garner-james/zctP50uI/"]James Garner[/a] (40 shots at goal, 42 chances created - both the most for Everton) and his teammates need to be at the top of their game, for the whole game.[/p][image alt="Arsenal's current form" id="4c82da26-4d40-4a62-ba8a-9734538bd0e3" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="bf569eed-42e8-4a3e-8cec-39189e96d99a" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p]The visitors will undoubtedly rely on a defence that has only shipped 33 goals all season, with only City (27) and Arsenal (22) conceding less.[/p][p]Keep an eye out for the final 15 minutes of this match in particular, too, as this is the time when Arsenal have conceded most goals (eight) and Everton have scored most (11).[/p][h2]First goal is vital[/h2][p]The first goal is vital as both sides have only lost once this season after taking the lead in a game, and with so much at stake for the hosts too, if they're not comfortably ahead by the business end of the match, it could make for an exciting conclusion.[/p][image alt="Arsenal v Everton - Live win probability" id="646e1aca-2ab9-4bad-92df-8898621bb55e" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="2067a338-8554-4f99-be15-e7a44536559f" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]Both [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/merino-mikel/QFt86bm1/"]Mikel Merino[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/odegaard-martin/ID32TGhp/"]Martin Odegaard[/a] have been ruled out of this game, and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/trossard-leandro/xUAbnjp2/"]Leandro Trossard[/a] will have a late fitness test, whilst [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/grealish-jack/QVKaRfO9/"]Jack Grealish[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alcaraz-carlos/lYfSUGUK/"]Carlos Alcaraz[/a] are definitely sidelined for Everton, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/coleman-seamus/zq8Uz4Ed/"]Seamus Coleman[/a] unlikely to start on Saturday, but could play some part.[/p][image alt="Jason Pettigrove" id="274816ae-7cdc-4914-a3de-63208790b3f7" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="b67df3fe-5fdd-4896-a411-810d91aede09" original-width="1200" original-height="380" /]