Former Everton colleagues reunite on the Goodison Park touchline for one final time on Saturday lunchtime, where David Moyes's Toffees host Mikel Arteta's Arsenal in the Premier League.
While the Merseyside outfit went down in the derby against Liverpool last time out, the Gunners strengthened their hold on second place by sinking Fulham 2-1 on home soil.
Match preview
Bukayo Saka scores for Arsenal on April 1, 2025© Imago
On a day where several erstwhile Gooners returned to their old stomping ground - Emile Smith Rowe, Bernd Leno, Willian and Alex Iwobi - it was coincidentally another returning Gunner who set the Emirates Stadium alight during Arsenal's London derby with Fulham.
After emergency number nine Mikel Merino had broken the deadlock with a fortuitous deflected effort, Bukayo Saka - making his first appearance of 2025 following a serious hamstring injury - headed home at the back stick within six minutes of his introduction, before a heart-warming embrace with Arsenal's strength and conditioning coach.
Saka's close-range effort proved critical owing to Rodrigo Muniz's last-gasp consolation, one that wiped out Arsenal's clean sheet but not their three points, as they maintained their four-point advantage over Nottingham Forest in the silver medal position.
It is surely only a matter of time before Arsenal's Premier League title chances are mathematically over, but Arteta's troops should not lose their iron grip on Champions League football now, easing the pressure ever so slightly on their impending double-header with Real Madrid.
Before thoughts of the Bernabeu take precedence, Arsenal endeavour to stretch their unbeaten Premier League run on the road to a praiseworthy 11 matches, but whether it be the red or the blue half, Merseyside has been one of the visitors' least favourite haunts for some time.
David Moyes on May 19, 2024© Imago
From Arsenal's last 26 Premier League away matches against Everton and Liverpool combined, the Gunners have only come up trumps in three of them, a pleasing statistic for Moyes as the master seeks to outwit the student at his soon-to-be old home.
The fire will no doubt be burning bright in Everton's bellies too, having lost their nine-game Premier League unbeaten run in Wednesday's agonising 1-0 defeat to rivals Liverpool, albeit one where they were highly fortunate not to go down to 10 for James Tarkowski's appalling challenge on Alexis Mac Allister.
Regardless, the Toffees departed having suffered their first top-flight loss since January 15 - one that also made it five games without a Premier League win after four straight draws - but the 15th-placed hosts still have an extremely healthy 14-point lead over the drop zone.
As inspirational as Moyes's return has proven to be, the Toffees have lost their way a tad defensively; Diogo Jota's winner for Liverpool in midweek means that Everton have now let in at least one goal in each of their last eight games in all tournaments, as well as six of their last seven at home.
The Merseyside outfit also succumbed to a 1-0 defeat when Arsenal visited Goodison in 2023-24 - a result that ended a five-game unbeaten home run versus the Gunners - but after holding out for a 0-0 draw at the Emirates in December, the Toffees could keep clean sheets in both league meetings with Arsenal in a single season for the first time in 112 years.
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Arsenal Premier League form:
Arsenal form (all competitions):
Team News
Arsenal's Gabriel Magalhaes reacts on January 15, 2025© Imago
In keeping with the theme of Arsenal's season, Saka's return came with the caveat of three new issues; Ben White was ruled out before the Fulham win with a niggle, while Gabriel Magalhaes (hamstring) and Jurrien Timber (knee) were hurt during the derby.
Official diagnosis on both men's issues is yet to arrive, but the early indications are that Gabriel's issue is worrying, so Jakub Kiwior can look forward to a rare start in defence while Thomas Partey takes on right-back duties again.
Riccardo Calafiori (knee), Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee), Gabriel Jesus (ACL) and Kai Havertz (hamstring) all remain in the Arsenal infirmary too, but after coming through 30 minutes unscathed in midweek, Saka is surely now in the reckoning for his first start of 2025.
On Everton's side, Tarkowski arguably should be suspended for this encounter after the PGMOL admitted that his tackle on Mac Allister amounted to a red-card offence, but the ex-Burnley man is fine to take his place in the lineup here.
That is more than can be said for Orel Mangala (knee), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (thigh) and Dwight McNeil (knee), but key attacker Iliman Ndiaye is fit again and was able to enjoy a second-half cameo in the loss to Liverpool.
Ndiaye for Harrison in the final third ought to be considered by Moyes, but the Everton boss should otherwise stick rather than twist, thus resisting the temptation to line up with a five-man defensive wall.
Everton possible starting lineup:
Pickford; O'Brien, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Gueye, Garner; Ndiaye, Doucoure, Alcaraz; Beto
Arsenal possible starting lineup:
Raya; Partey, Saliba, Kiwior, Zinchenko; Odegaard, Jorginho, Rice; Nwaneri, Merino, Martinelli
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We say: Everton 1-1 Arsenal
While Everton are not exactly renowned for prolific displays in front of goal, the Toffees will sense an opportunity to go at Arsenal's ravaged backline, who will surely not come out of this one unscathed.
Arteta's men may understandably also have one eye on Real Madrid too, and avoiding more injuries before the clash with the European champions is of paramount importance, so the visitors may be content with a score draw in this one.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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