adminArsenal lacked desire, passion and purpose, as Everton romped to an easy victory and spent the second half toying with their prey. This match was built up as a battle for fourth place, and a battle for a spot in next year’s Champions League. But it seems Arsenal didn’t get the memo.
Everton came out of the traps with passion and purpose, whereas Arsenal looked slow and jaded.
The Toffees enjoyed good spells of possession early on, and their pace and speed of passing proved too much for Arsenal. Naismith put the home side 1-0 up after capitalising on a rebounded save from Szczesny.
Arsenal fans might claim he shouldn’t have been on the pitch, as the goal game moments after an awful challenge on former Everton player Mikel Arteta, but Naismith got off with a warning from the ref.
After 35 minutes, Lukaku made it 2-0, making a darting run down the right wing and cutting inside to blast a shot past the Arsenal ‘keeper.
Arsenal needed a miracle at half-time, but despite a strong start the second half, they were systematically torn apart and embarrassed by a rampant Toffees side.
Arteta sealed Arsenal’s fate when he scored an own goal, doing his former side a huge favour in the process, and leaving him wishing the ground would open up and swallow him whole.
Everton proceeded to play training ground football for the rest of the match, while the Goodison Park faithful cheered every completed pass during dominant spells of possession.
Everton now lie just one point behind Arsenal, with a game in hand. The race for fourth place could go down to the wire, but Blues fans will be dreaming of the Champions League tonight. — Mirror
Online Reporter