Arsenal Stars Shine and Struggle as Controversial VAR Decisions Shape Dramatic Everton Clash

Viktor Gyökeres's first-half spot kick secured Arsenal a 1–0 triumph over Everton on Saturday evening in a hard-fought victory that relied heavily on VAR decisions as much as individual brilliance.

A match characterized by defensive blocks and physical duels, moments of skill mixed with plenty of determination, was shaped by two penalty incidents. VAR official Michael Salisbury correctly spotted Jake O'Brien's clear handball to award the penalty that Gyökeres dispatched, though William Saliba mysteriously avoided sanction for a careless challenge on Thierno Barry after the break.

David Moyes could only express his frustration to referee Sam Barrott at full-time, while Mikel Arteta celebrated with a mixture of satisfaction and elation. The result propelled Arsenal back to the top of the Premier League table, though the luck involved in their success may encourage Manchester City and other contenders in their pursuit.

Arsenal Player Ratings vs. Everton (4-3-3)

*Ratings Provided by FotMob*

GK: David Raya—8.4: While uncertainty occasionally affected Arsenal's defensive line, the goalkeeper remained completely reliable, commanding in the air and composed with his distribution.

RB: Jurriën Timber—7.5: Neutralized Jack Grealish effectively and turned him inside out while making repeated attacking runs down the flank.

CB: William Saliba—7.0: Miraculously avoided a booking for an obvious foul on Barry, who presented more challenges than Saliba might have anticipated.

CB: Piero Hincapié—7.4: Allowed Saliba to deal with Barry and Beto while cleaning up loose balls excellently.

LB: Riccardo Calafiori—7.0: Drifting inside dangerously, Calafiori recovered well from a heavy blow to the head early on.

CM: Martin Ødegaard—7.0: Gradually found his rhythm as the match progressed, fine-tuning his passing accuracy as time wore on.

CM: Martín Zubimendi—7.5: Appeared to have his own pocket of space wherever he went, consistently finding teammates just ahead of arriving defenders.

CM: Declan Rice—8.1: Once he builds momentum, Rice becomes unstoppable. The midfielder who can appear awkward when stationary transforms into an unstoppable force when given room to advance.

RW: Bukayo Saka—7.6: An evening of near-misses for Saka, including one particularly clear opportunity that was cleared off the goal line.

ST: Viktor Gyökeres—7.2: Found the net and earned an early substitution. Worked hard throughout but never truly troubled Everton's robust central defensive partnership, who welcomed the physical battle Gyökeres was happy to engage in.

LW: Leandro Trossard—7.3: Constantly appeared to be stretching to control possession, deliver passes, or crucially, strike an effort that hit the woodwork.

Subs not used: Kepa Arrizabalaga (GK), Myles Lewis-Skelly, Christian Nørgaard, Eberechi Eze, Ethan Nwaneri, Noni Madueke.

Everton (4-2-3-1)

Starting XI: Jordan Pickford; Jake O'Brien, James Tarkowski, Michael Keane, Vitalii Mykolenko; Tim Iroegbunam, James Garner; Dwight McNeil, Charly Alcaraz, Jack Grealish; Thierno Barry.

Subs used: Beto, Tyler Dibling, Merlin Röhl

Player of the Match: David Raya (Arsenal)

Everton 0–1 Arsenal: How It Developed at the Hill Dickinson Stadium

Arsenal faced significant pressure entering unfamiliar circumstances on Saturday night. Manchester City had leapfrogged the Gunners to claim top spot hours earlier, driven by the relentless Erling Haaland. Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium buzzed with excitement under the floodlights in its final preparation before Christmas, with Moyes determined to defeat his former team captain.

If Arteta's side felt the weight of these high expectations, they concealed it well.

Arsenal prevented Everton from registering a single attempt during the first 45 minutes. While Jordan Pickford's goal wasn't under constant siege, the visitors still held a 1–0 advantage at the break. O'Brien had escaped censure for a clumsy push on Gyökeres moments before testing his ability to remain unnoticed. Clearly, this didn't extend to his arms, both inexplicably raised overhead as they contacted a Declan Rice corner delivery. Gyökeres confidently slotted home his 27th-minute penalty.

Arsenal's dominance from the opening period evaporated with the referee's whistle signaling the second half. Everton transformed the encounter into a physical battle, successfully disrupting their composed opponents.

Moyes shifted his team's focus higher up the field, trapping possession in Arsenal's defensive third with relentless pressure. The sustained chaos peaked near the hour mark when a period of frantic ball-juggling led to Saliba accidentally catching Thierno Barry's leg. Incredibly, both referee Barrott and VAR official Salisbury missed the clear contact.

This shocking oversight—unconvincingly justified by the Premier League Match Centre as "insufficient" contact—triggered another momentum shift. Arsenal regained their balance and quickly silenced the home crowd with renewed possession control that actually created genuine threats.

A quick transition from right to left in the 64th minute culminated with Leandro Trossard striking the post when a gaping goal mouth lay exposed. Martín Zubimendi hit the same upright five minutes later, meeting Martin Ødegaard's pullback after clever combination play with Bukayo Saka.

Arsenal's failure to secure a decisive second goal created anxiety among the away supporters—reflected in Arteta's animated touchline presence during the final stages. However, Raya faced minimal pressure as the north London club claimed all three points.

Everton vs. Arsenal Half Time Stats

Everton vs. Arsenal Full Time Stats