Max Dowman became the youngest goalscorer in Premier League history as two late goals sent Arsenal ten points clear.
Substitutes played a key role for Mikel Arteta’s side as it looked like the Blues were leaving the Emirates with a point.
David Moyes’s side frustrated Arsenal all evening and looked dangerous on numerous occasions. However, in the closing stages, the visitors dropped off, and Arsenal secured three precious points.
Viktor Gykores won the game late on as Jordan Pickford failed to claim Dowman’s cross and the ball fell to the Swedish international to tap it in from a few yards out.
In injury time, Arsenal broke from an Everton corner, which led to Dowman getting past Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and running the ball into the empty net to secure the points.
Arsenal dominated early on, with the Gunners having seven shots in the opening 15 minutes, with Noni Madueke coming closest for the home side.
Following a short corner, the ball found Madueke on the edge of the box, whose effort was parried away by Pickford.
However, the best chances fell to the visitors. Iliman Ndiaye's whipped cross was pushed away by David Raya, but reached the path of Dwight McNeil, whose close strike was spectacularly blocked by Riccardo Calafiori.
The Italian, who fell to the floor, managed to stick his leg in the air to deny Everton the lead. McNeil came close seconds later as his curling strike from distance struck the post.
Kai Havertz was asking for a penalty as Eberechi Eze’s pass cut through Everton’s midfield. Havertz looked to get past Michael Keane, and the defender slightly caught the German, but Referee Andy Madley waved play on.
Idrissa Gueye flashed across a dangerous cross as David Moyes’s side looked dangerous when they’re in the final third and started to pose a threat.
Dewsbury-Hall thought he had opened the scoring as he let the ball run across his body from the edge of the box, but his attempt was pushed away by Raya.
Arsenal’s best moment came from a corner in the 38th minute as Gabriel unsettled Pickford, and Saka’s inswinging corner was headed away by Keane.
Mikel Arteta’s side struggled in the final-third in the opening 45 minutes and looked most dangerous from corners.
The ball fell to Saka inside the penalty area, but Ndiaye raced out to block his shot. Gueye had an attempt from range, which was gathered by Raya.
Everton started the second half stronger and almost broke the deadlock. Raya failed to connect properly from a corner, and the ball fell to McNeil.
McNeil’s shot fell to the path of Beto, who spun his man and fired low and hard, but Raya was equal to it, denying him superbly with his feet.
Eze had a shot from distance, which was blocked by Beto. Madueke went on a darting run before Calafiori, having his effort cleared by Keane.
Saka’s shot across goal was parried by Pickford as Arsenal started mounting the pressure on Everton’s resolute back four.
Eze again came closest for Arsenal as his curling effort down Everton’s left-hand side had the beating of Pickford but narrowly went wide.
Once again, Everton survived the pressure from Arsenal, and James Garner whipped in a dangerous free-kick which deflected of an Arsenal player and went wide.
Once again, it was Eze who was causing Everton problems. The 26-year-old struck from distance but was straight at Pickford.
In the closing stages, it was the Gunners with all the ball and did manage to get in behind Everton’s defence, but it led to nothing.
The goal would ultimately come with subsite Max Dowman whipping in a deep cross, which Pickford failing to get a connection on it.
The ball hit Piero Hincapie's knees and fell to the path of Viktor Gyokeres to tap in a crucial goal for the title race.
Pickford pushed over Gabriel Martinelli’s strike as Arsenal went searching for a second. Minutes later, the Gunners got their second as Max Dowman broke through and tapped in the empty net as Everton went searching for the equaliser.