[Arsenal](https://youaremyarsenal.com/arsenal-vs-everton-match-preview/) left Hill Dickinson Stadium with a 1-0 Premier League win over Everton. It was not pretty. It was not free-flowing. It was three points that put Arsenal back on top going into the holiday break, with City still right behind them.
The night had a familiar feel for Arsenal supporters. Control for long stretches. A narrow margin on the scoreboard. A finish line that felt further away than it needed to. Yet the numbers and the match state tell a simple story. Arsenal limited Everton to almost nothing, created enough to win, then managed the final phase without the late wobble that has crept into recent away trips.
This match matters for Arsenal for one reason. Title races do not reward aesthetics. They reward points on difficult grounds, in games where rhythm never really arrives. Arsenal got that part right.
**Lesson 1: Arsenal can win ugly when the defensive structure stays intact**
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Everton created almost nothing of substance. The models put them around 0.2 xG, which matches what your eyes saw.
The first half set the tone. Everton offered nothing before the interval. Arsenal kept them pinned back and cut off the routes into the box. That is rare in any Premier League home game. It speaks to Arsenal’s out-of-possession shape, spacing, and duel work. Everton tried to disrupt Arsenal’s build by tracking Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard in central zones. It slowed Arsenal’s tempo early. It did not create Everton attacks.
Arsenal’s control was not sterile. Arsenal produced 13 shots and roughly 1.5 to 1.8 xG, depending on the model, with the total inflated by the penalty. Everton produced five shots. Only one tested David Raya. The match never turned into a shootout. Most efforts came from crowded positions. Keepers had long spells with little to do. That is not a game that swung on chaos. That is a game Arsenal managed.
Two tactical details stood out.
Riccardo Calafiori’s positioning mattered. He stepped inside frequently, giving Arsenal an extra central body in buildup. Everton’s midfield could not cover both the half-spaces and the wide outlets at the same time. That helped Arsenal play through pressure without forcing low-percentage passes.
Arsenal’s rest-defense looked more like the version from earlier in the season. When Arsenal attacked, the structure behind the ball stayed compact. William Saliba and his partner held the line with discipline. Rice guarded transitions and cleaned second balls. Everton had moments after the interval where they pushed higher, yet clear chances never arrived.
Arsenal still rode their luck on one penalty shout in the second half. Those moments happen. What matters is the overall picture. Everton rarely reached Arsenal’s box with control. Everton rarely forced Arsenal into emergency defending.
That is the practical takeaway for Arsenal supporters. This was a clean defensive performance in a stadium built to feel hostile. Arsenal did not need Raya heroics. Arsenal did not need last-ditch drama. Arsenal needed structure and concentration. They delivered it.
**Lesson 2: The midfield carried Arsenal’s control, and Rice set the tone**
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Declan Rice ran the game in the ways that win away matches. He led the match in touches with 114. He completed 87 accurate passes. He won possession 10 times. Those are not vanity stats. They show workload, responsibility, and influence.
Arsenal’s best moments came when Rice and Odegaard connected quickly to the left and right channels, then moved Everton’s block with two-touch circulation. Arsenal did not always find the final pass. Arsenal still created the best non-penalty chances of the match, including the move that ended with Leandro Trossard striking the post.
Rice’s value was not limited to possession. Everton looked for direct counters and second balls. Rice repeatedly arrived first, won contact, then started Arsenal attacks again. That is how away control works. You win the ball. You keep it. You deny momentum.
Odegaard’s role deserves a cleaner read than the highlight package gives. His game was not a constant stream of killer passes. It was management. He stayed available. He recycled play under pressure. He helped Arsenal keep Everton pinned in their own half. His biggest “moment” came before the penalty, when he backed Gyokeres as the taker. That was leadership, not theatre.
Now the forward line.
Viktor Gyokeres needed a goal. He got one from the spot, struck with real authority. Arsenal gave him that chance, and he took it. His open-play contribution still sits in a grey area. He made runs into the box. He competed for space. He still did not consistently secure the ball with his back to goal. Everton’s centre-backs got encouragement from a few loose touches.
Arteta changed the front line after the hour. Jesus came on to help Arsenal connect play and keep possession higher up. That trade-off makes sense in a match where Arsenal led 1-0 and needed to keep the ball in safer areas.
For Arsenal supporters, the key point is not a debate about “good” or “bad” striker play. It is the match context. Arsenal did not need a centre-forward masterclass. Arsenal needed the goal and the control. The midfield delivered the control. The penalty delivered the goal.
Selection-wise, Calafiori’s role inverting into midfield looked like a planned solution to Everton’s man-marking. Timber’s security in possession helped Arsenal play out of pressure on the right. Saliba stayed calm through a few moments where Everton tried to draw contact and win decisions.
This was a midfield-led away win. Arsenal will take plenty of those between now and May.
**Lesson 3: Arsenal’s title case is built on consistency, not performances**
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Arsenal go into Christmas in first place again. That fact comes with two truths.
One, it reflects a high baseline across the season. Arsenal keep turning up. Arsenal keep collecting wins even when rhythm looks muted. In all competitions this season, Arsenal have won every match where they scored first. That is the definition of game management.
Being top at this stage is a marker of consistency. It is not a guarantee of anything. The league gets decided in the months that follow, not the headlines in December.
This match added one more layer to Arsenal’s season profile.
Arsenal do not need to blow teams away to win. They can win 1-0 away. They can protect leads. They can limit opponents to near-zero chance volume. That matters in the winter run, when legs go heavy and schedules compress.
Arsenal still have issues to solve.
Chance conversion remains the obvious one. Arsenal hit the woodwork twice in the second half. Arsenal had a shot cleared off the line. Arsenal ended with only two shots on target from 13 attempts. That is a warning light. A better opponent punishes wasted dominance. City certainly can.
There is a second issue that feels more immediate. Arsenal’s away finishes have carried tension lately, with late goals conceded in recent trips. Arsenal closed the final minutes with control, not panic. That matters after recent away trips. Now they need that same finish every week.
Squad depth sits in the background of this win. Arsenal still leaned heavily on core players. Rice played like a man carrying a title chase. Odegaard dictated the tempo. Saliba anchored the back line. Arsenal rotated late, and the bench impact stayed controlled rather than transformative. That is fine for one match. The festive run demands more.
The best “bigger picture” takeaway is simple. Arsenal’s floor is high. The ceiling still has room. A title side needs both. This match showed the floor.
**Conclusion**
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Everton away rarely gives Arsenal a smooth night. This time, Arsenal left with the points and a clean sheet, built on defensive structure and midfield control.
Three things stand out from this match analysis. Arsenal’s rest-defense and concentration limited Everton to 0.2 xG and almost no threat. Rice and the midfield carried the game state, keeping Arsenal on the front foot and denying momentum swings. The bigger picture stays clear: Arsenal remain consistent enough to lead the league, yet the attack still needs sharper finishing to turn control into comfort.
Arsenal head into the next phase of the season in the position they want. Top of the table. Still plenty to improve. That is a good place to live in December, even if it does not feel fun for 90 minutes.