Arsenal have the chance to temporarily extend their lead at the top of the table to 10 points when Everton visit the Emirates tomorrow, but David Moyes’ side will be no pushovers. Since the Scot returned to Merseyside for his second spell in charge, the Toffees have quietly become one of the league’s more reliable away teams.
Their form on the road stands in contrast to struggles at their new home, Hill Dickinson Stadium. Everton have not lost away from home since mid-December. In fact, since Moyes took charge in January 2025, they have collected 41 points from a possible 69 on their travels, a return bettered only by Arsenal.
They also arrive well rested. Everton have not played since beating Burnley 2-0 on 3 March, while the Gunners have been in action three times since then, all away from home.
Last time out, Arsenal snatched a draw in Leverkusen courtesy of Kai Havertz’s last-minute penalty, a timely lift after a difficult evening in Germany.
Speaking on Friday, [Arteta said](https://www.arsenal.com/news/every-word-mikel-artetas-pre-everton-presser-2): “Every result, every performance shifts momentum, the emotional state of the team, and the fact that we managed to draw the game at the end, obviously it was a lift, because in any case we deserved for sure \[not\] to lose that game.
“We move to the next one, we have no time. The moment we finished that game, we had time to watch one or two games in the Champions League, some good games and then back to business.”
While Arsenal’s display in Germany was under par, though far from disastrous compared to those of other English clubs in Europe, it prompted fresh criticism from those who have decided the team play unattractive football. Inside the dressing room, however, that noise appears to carry little weight.
When it was put to him that Sir Alex Ferguson’s sides thrived on a “siege mentality”, Arteta suggested the mood among his players is not too different.
“You just have to go in that dressing room and feel the mood, the energy, and the way we talk to each other, and how much we value the position that we have right now, and how much we want to, for sure, be in the same position at the end of the season.
“That depends on us, so our focus is on what we have to do, what we have to maintain, and what we have to improve together.”
Earlier in the week, the Spaniard repeated his game-by-game mantra and stressed he has not spoken to the players about the possibility of becoming the first English side to win the quadruple.
Asked whether he even allows himself to think about lifting all four trophies, he replied: “Think about it? Not really. I mean, if you’re in our seat, we’re going to play in seven days in three different competitions.
“So that drags you from one to another, the urgency to get prepared, to translate the messages that you want, to make the right decisions and to make sure that we arrive into any game in the best possible way, it’s enough, and the rest is a consequence of that process and how well we do it, which is still very far.”
In terms of team news for tomorrow, Arteta would not give a straight answer on the involvement of Martin Odegaard and Leandro Trossard. The club captain continues to rehabilitate a knee problem, while the Belgian trained earlier in the week but did not travel to Germany after feeling less than fully fit.
“We’ll have to wait and see,” said Arteta when asked about the pair. “We will have to speak to the doctors to see whether they are involved or not.”
With eight league games remaining, maintaining Arsenal’s advantage over Manchester City remains the priority. Arteta knows every result now carries added weight as the run-in begins to take shape.
“Well, I mean, every game that you win now is a massive step towards the objective. And tomorrow, as you said, we have a very difficult one. So, yeah, we’re going to have to earn it. And if we do earn it, we’re going to be closer.”