Anthony Gordon for Everton
Anthony Gordon for Everton
Everton travel to the capital this afternoon to face an Arsenal side who are looking to strengthen their chances of retaining the Premier League title this campaign.
David Moyes’ men come into the encounter off the back of last weekend’s 2-0 defeat to Chelsea on home soil, with such a result being their first loss of the 2026/27 season.
The Toffees will be looking to avoid a second successive loss this afternoon, but will face a stern challenge given the quality of the opposition they will be taking on.
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The latest on Everton's team news to face Arsenal
After last weekend’s loss to Chelsea, Moyes will need to think carefully about the team he chooses to deploy against Arsenal to avoid suffering the same fate.
Christian Norgaard is unlikely to feature against his parent club this afternoon, after the manager confirmed the midfielder has potentially come back from injury too soon.
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The Dane made his debut for the Toffees off the bench last week, but was carded just minutes into his display after dragging down Cole Palmer - leading to Pedro Neto’s second goal of the game.
Aside from the 32-year-old, the manager has no fresh injury concerns for the meeting at the Emirates, which hands him numerous avenues to go down for this afternoon’s clash.
The boss did state that "we've got our share of bits and pieces but we'll keep them quiet”, which could suggest a more defensive line-up to keep out the champions on home soil.
Why Gordon would be perfect for Everton against Arsenal
Whilst winger Anthony Gordon left Everton in somewhat controversial circumstances, many of the supporters must wish they had a player of his calibre in their senior ranks at present.
The 25-year-old registered 78 appearances for the Toffees’ senior ranks, and was often the player who injected into the fanbase with his direct nature on Merseyside.
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He did only manage to find the back of the net seven times during his time at Goodison Park, but he was a player who was capable of getting supporters off their feet.
Gordon clocked in at 33.1km/h during a Premier League game in his final year at Everton, with the player often causing the opposition problems in transition.
Such a quality is desperately needed against Arsenal this weekend, with the Toffees likely to be cramped in their own half and need to take advantage of their chances when they do arise.
How Moyes can unleash Everton’s next Gordon vs Arsenal
Merlin Rohl was selected to start last weekend’s defeat against Chelsea in an attempt to combat the threat posed by wing-back Pep Chavarria at the Hill Dickinson.
Moyes was left red-faced after the Spaniard failed to appear during the contest, which left the Toffees without an out-and-out attacking threat down the right-hand side of the pitch.
Everton manager David Moyes looks on before the match
Everton manager David Moyes looks on before the match
The manager will need to rectify such a decision against the Gunners this afternoon and hand Tyler Dibling his first start of the league campaign at the Emirates.
The 20-year-old has only made two substitute appearances in the top-flight this term, with his only starts coming against Preston and Wolves in the Carabao Cup.
However, the youngster has become known for his lightning pace over the last few years, with such an asset extremely similar to that of Gordon during his own time on Merseyside.
Although he’s been restricted to limited minutes this term, Dibling has showcased that he does have the talent needed to make impression - as seen in the cup win over Wolves last month.
The £35m man featured for the entirety of the contest at the Hill Dickinson, and subsequently completed three dribbles - with such a tally the highest of any player on either side.
The youngster also managed to complete 90% of the passes he attempted on Wednesday evening, which resulted in the Englishman creating two chances.
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Tyler Dibling - stats against Wolves
Statistics
Minutes played
Touches
Pass accuracy
Chances created
Dribbles completed
Assists
Fouls won
Duels won
Such numbers demonstrate his ability to make the most of his touches of the ball - something which will be needed with the low-block style Moyes will implement today.
Dibling also drew three fouls from the opposition that night which could prove vital for the Toffees today, as they will need to relieve the pressure at any given opportunity.
Although the manager clearly doesn’t have the faith in the attacker to provide the goods, his electric pace in forward areas could prove to be crucial in today’s tricky outing.
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It would hand the Toffees the constant out ball needed to counter-attack, potentially catch out the hosts and cause an upset in North London.
Iliman Ndiaye for Everton
Iliman Ndiaye for Everton