Arsenal secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Everton at Goodison Park, maintaining their top spot in the Premier League standings on Christmas Day. The game's pivotal moment came in the 26th minute when Viktor Gyokeres converted a penalty, following a handball by Everton's Jake O'Brien in the box. This was Gyokeres' seventh goal in the league this season.
Despite missing out on the summit after Manchester City's earlier win, Arsenal quickly asserted their dominance. Martin Zubimendi and Leandro Trossard both struck the post after the break, but one goal was sufficient to keep them at the top of the table. Mikel Arteta's team celebrated his sixth anniversary in charge with this hard-fought win.
The game's early stages were tense, with a few near-misses. Martin Zubimendi's shot went over after a poor clearance, and Gyokeres headed just wide. A potential penalty was denied when Gyokeres was bundled off, but VAR ruled against the appeal. However, a minute later, the officials awarded a penalty after replays showed Jake O'Brien pushing the ball off Riccardo Calafiori's head.
Gyokeres calmly slotted the penalty past Jordan Pickford, giving Arsenal the lead. The first half saw Arsenal dominate possession and create further chances, with Declan Rice and James Tarkowski both testing the woodwork. Thierno Barry's near-through ball just before halftime set up a good opportunity for Gyokeres, but he missed the target.
Everton's skipper, Jordan Pickford, made crucial saves to prevent a second goal. Jurrien Timber's shot was cleared by Tarkowski, and VAR ruled out a potential foul by William Saliba on Thierno Barry, ensuring the lead remained intact. The woodwork then came to Arsenal's rescue twice in quick succession, with shots from Leandro Trossard and Martin Odegaard hitting the post.
The game ended with Arsenal securing the win, returning to the top of the Premier League table at Christmas. They now turn their attention to the Carabao Cup quarter-final against Crystal Palace and the upcoming Premier League fixtures against Brighton & Hove Albion and Aston Villa.
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