Arsenal will be keen to bounce back from their shock midweek loss to struggling Swansea when they take on Everton at the Emirates Stadium this weekend. The fixture will also be Theo Walcott’s first at the Emirates since he made the switch to Goodison Park last month, ending a 12 year long stay with the Gunners.
Walcott had failed to find the back of the net in the first half of the league season at the Emirates but appears to be a man transformed at Goodison Park, with two goals and an assist in as many games for the Toffees. Sam Allardyce’s side ended their seven game winless run thanks to Walcott’s brace in midweek, picking up a 2-1 win over Leicester City at Goodison Park. The victory was Everton’s first of the new year, and also Leicester’s first defeat of 2018.
Walcott’s first goal was a simple tap in from Gylfi Sigurdsson’s pass after Ben Chillwell had lost possession in his own box. His second was an impressive volleyed finish. However the Toffees were far from convincing- Leicester constantly troubled them at set pieces and the Foxes had not one, but two glorious opportunities to equalise at the end that they squandered.
Arsenal, on the other hand, took the lead against Swansea but crumbled at the Liberty Stadium to end up on the wrong side of a 3-1 scoreline. They went ahead through Nacho Monreal’s fourth goal of the season, with the Spaniard converting Mesut Ozil’s delightful pass. However Swansea found a way back just a minute later. Alfie Mawson, who had scored the Swans’ winner against Liverpool, split open Arsenal’s defence, and Sam Clucas was on hand to equalise for Carlos Carvalhal’s side.
Just minutes after Henrikh Mkhitaryan took the pitch for the first time in Arsenal colours as a sub for Mohamed Elneny, Swansea went 2-1 ahead. A dreadful error from Petr Cech gifted Jordan Ayew Swansea’s second on a platter, and Clucas sealed victory four minutes from time with his second of the game.
The Swansea game was Olivier Giroud’s last in an Arsenal jersey, with the French striker moving to Chelsea on transfer deadline day. While Arsenal lost Sanchez and Giroud in the window, they did manage to secure the signing of Pierre Emerick Aubameyang for a club record fee, and the Gabon international is expected to make his debut against the Toffees. Arsenal are 1/3 favourites to win according to the odds quoted by the bookies on the BettingTop10.com website. Everton are 11/1 outsiders to triumph at the Emirates- not at all surprising given their poor away record against the Gunners. Arsenal have won their last five at home against the Toffees, and for the visitors’ last triumph, one needs to go all the way back to 1996, when Andrei Kanchelskis netted the winner at Highbury.
Form Guide for Arsenal: LWWLD
Form Guide for Everton: WDLLL
This is a crucial game for Arsenal. They need to bounce back from the Swansea setback as soon as possible, with the North London derby awaiting them after Everton followed by their Europa knockout clash and twin fixtures against Man City.
Arsenal v Everton kicks off at 17.30