Arsenal take back Premier League top spot with 1-0 win over Everton
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LIVERPOOL, England, Dec 20 : Arsenal ensured that they will spend Christmas top of the Premier League thanks to a 1-0 away win over Everton on Saturday, retaking first place after briefly being deposed by Manchester City, who beat West Ham United 3-0 earlier in the day.
City's win put them on 37 points, one more than the Gunners ahead of their late kick-off, but that lead lasted for only a few hours as Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres scored from the spot midway through the first half after a handball at a corner by Everton's Jake O'Brien.
O'Brien looked like he was trying to rebound a basketball rather than defend a set piece, going up with both hands above his head, and referee Samuel Barrott had no hesitation in pointing to the spot after a VAR review.
The goal settled the visitors and they began to dominate possession, with Gyokeres making a charge down the left early in the second half before he was swallowed up in the box by the Everton defence, while Saka was denied by Jordan Pickford moments later.
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A minute later, Everton's Thierno Barry went sprawling in the box after a challenge by Martin Zubimendi but the referee waved away the home side’s appeal for a penalty.
Arsenal should have sealed the win in the 64th minute with a sweeping move but Leandro Trossard smacked his shot off the far post with Pickford beaten. Though Everton did their best to get the ball in the box to force an equaliser, they lacked the guile necessary to breach the visiting defence.
With their next game against Brighton & Hove Albion next Saturday, the win moves Arsenal to 39 points, two ahead of Manchester City. Everton slip to 10th in the table on 24 points, behind Brighton on goal difference.
The goal was the first for Gyokeres since he returned from a hamstring injury at the end of November, and the way he blasted home from the spot illustrated how much he wanted to see the ball hit the back of the net.
"It's a few (Arsenal players) that can take it, and this time it was me that took it. It was important to score that one. It was nice," he told Sky Sports.
"You always want to score goals, that's the main target every game for attacking players, that's what we want to do. Today we could've scored a few more but the most important is we won the game," he added.
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