Arsenal reclaimed top spot in the Premier League after they defeated Everton 1-0 at Hill Dickinson Stadium courtesy of a Viktor Gyokeres penalty.

Manchester City moved above the Gunners earlier in the day by dispatching West Ham United 3-0, but Mikel Arteta’s side held their nerve to overcome the shorthanded Toffees.

The deciding moment occurred in the 27th minute as Gyokeres scored for the first time in five matches when he converted from the spot after Jake O’Brien was penalised for a handball following a VAR check.

Both Leandro Trossard and Martin Zubimendi hit the post after the break, with Bukayo Saka seeing an effort cleared off the line, while Everton felt they should have had a penalty at the other end.

Arsenal, however, managed to hold on with just the one goal to see them lead the league at Christmas, while Everton occupy 10th.

How the match unfolded

Gyokeres headed wide from the game’s first opening, claiming he had been shoved by O’Brien as he attempted to win a deflected cross.

Although that appeal was waved away, Arsenal soon had a spot-kick when, following a VAR review, referee Samuel Barrott awarded a penalty for O’Brien inexplicably handballing from Declan Rice’s corner.

Gyokeres stepped up and unleashed a thunderous finish past Jordan Pickford.

Saka squandered a golden opportunity to double Arsenal’s lead early in the second half as his weak effort was blocked on the line, though Everton were infuriated that Thierno Barry was not awarded a penalty when he was clipped by William Saliba.

The Gunners almost put the game to bed as Trossard and Zubimendi both struck the woodwork, but despite staying in the contest, Everton – lacking star names like Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Iliman Ndiaye – could not puncture the league’s best defence.

Arsenal show their mettle

After a lacklustre performance against Wolverhampton Wanderers last time out, Arsenal saw the pressure applied by Man City following their earlier win over the Hammers.

But after allowing Everton to offer some early threat without really creating much in the way of chances, Arsenal gained a foothold, and eventually Gyokeres took advantage of O’Brien’s moment of madness.

Arteta might have been made to lament the profligate finishing of Saka, Trossard and Zubimendi, but in truth Everton never troubled Arsenal’s sturdy backline, with the Gunners enjoying a measure of control throughout.

This match was the start of a run of six fixtures, which also features home games against Brighton & Hove Albion, Aston Villa and Liverpool, along with trips to AFC Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest, that Arsenal had failed to win last season.

Earlier in the campaign, both Arteta and the players revealed that they discussed such fixtures after they beat West Ham and Fulham in October.

The Arsenal manager will be desperate to turn more draws into wins when they host Brighton next weekend, though they first face Crystal Palace in the EFL Cup quarter-finals on Tuesday.

Absences hit hard at Everton

David Moyes saw his side go toe-to-toe with the Premier League leaders for large parts of proceedings, but Everton were found badly wanting in attack, as the absences of some key players hit home.

Joint-leading scorers Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye were both missing.

Dewsbury-Hall is injured, while Ndiaye, along with Idrissa Gueye, is away with Senegal at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

Dwight McNeil was handed his first league start of the season, but struggled to make an impact alongside Carlos Alcaraz, Jack Grealish and Barry in the frontline, and Everton failed to register a single shot in the first half.

That changed after the break, with Barry in particular causing problems for Saliba as he appealed for a penalty after a late challenge from the defender, which came soon after Zubimendi had brought the striker down on the edge of the box.

But Beto, Tyler Dibling and Merlin Rohl could not make an impact off the bench, and Everton’s attacking issues are clear to see.

Everton face three of the current bottom four in their next four fixtures, starting with a trip to Burnley, which could provide Moyes with a better idea of how his team will cope without their best performers.

What the managers said

David Moyes: "We were competitive, the spirit we showed for long periods in the game. We didn’t quite have the quality to get a goal but overall I thought we did a good job against Arsenal. We tried to make it a tough game and I think it was for them.

"I didn’t think Arsenal gave us too many problems before the penalty kick. If anything we started better than Arsenal. But it was a poor decision by Jake O'Brien to raise his arms which made it difficult. I think that was the first corner of the game.

"These things happen and players don’t mean to do it but you shouldn’t be sticking your arms up there that’s for sure."

Mikel Arteta: "Very happy obviously, it is a really tough place to come. I must say, what a stadium they have built. It was incredible to witness the atmosphere.

"We knew it would be a really tough match. In the second half we should have scored a second or third goal to be more relaxed. We didn’t do that and against this type of team it can be tense.

"Every team brings different situations. They used the keeper to play long balls and the game became more chaotic and stretched and you have to dominate that game, if not it is very difficult, and we managed to do it.

"We know how long it is going to be and how difficult it is going to be, so we take it game by game." (premierleague.com)

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