Everton 0-1 Arsenal: Leandro Trossard strike helps unbeaten Gunners overcome winless Toffees

Leandro Trossard came off the bench to fire Arsenal to a merited victory at embattled Everton with a stunning second-half winner.

The Belgian winger raced onto a lovely pass from Bukayo Saka to slip a delightful shot in off a post on 69 minutes after a superb piece of creative play by Martin Odegaard to find Saka free in the area after a short corner.

Mikel Arteta’s side should have enjoyed a more comfortable winning margin at Goodison Park with Gabriel Martinelli seeing an effort ruled out on 19 minutes after he finished in style only for VAR to rule offside against Eddie Nketiah.

As it was, Arsenal held on comfortably for their first Premier League win at Goodison since October 2017 when they completed a rampant 5-2 victory, a scoreline that would have better illustrated the gulf in class between the sides on Sunday.

Arsenal join Tottenham and Liverpool on 13 points, two behind leaders Manchester City, while troubled Everton remain third bottom of the standings on a solitary point from their opening five matches of the campaign.

Mikel Arteta’s team are unbeaten in their opening five Premier League matches of the season, and can look forward to a first UEFA Champions League appearance for six years when PSV Eindhoven visit the Emirates on Wednesday.

A few commentators have claimed Arsenal are perhaps not as flamboyant as last season when they finished second in the table behind Manchester City, but they are warming up nicely for their European campaign.

It takes two teams to make a game, and Everton’s decision to sit in and frustrate the visitors was not Arsenal’s fault in a mismatch of a contest at Goodison, a venue where they have traditionally toiled in recent times.

With goalkeeper David Raya a virtual spectator in replacing Aaron Ramsdale, they controlled large swathes of this match, and their exceptional style of passing play, alongside Pep Guardiola’s Champions League holders City, looks ideal for a genuine assault on European football’s greatest club tournament.

Not much else you can say about the classy Arsenal captain that hasn’t been said already. A vital figure on days when the opposition retreat deep into the trenches.

At the heart of everything good about his side at Goodison Park in keeping the ball ticking over and refusing to panic.

Involved in the winning goal from a well-worked short corner, and also unfortunate not to score when Everton left space in a vain attempt to restore parity.

Inspires those around him to participate in Arsenal’s dominant passing game.

Everton: Pickford 8, Mykolenko 8, Tarkowski 8, Branthwaite 8, Young 6, McNeil 6, Gueye 6, Onana 6, Danjuma 6, Doucoure 6, Beto 6 Subs: Patterson 6, Calvert-Lewin 6, Chermiti 6, Garner 6

Arsenal: Raya 7, White 7, Saliba 7, Gabriel 7, Zinchenko 7, Rice 7, Vieira 7, Odegaard, 8 Saka 7, Nketiah 7, Martinelli 6 Subs: Havertz 6, Trossard 8, Gabriel Jesus 6, Tomiyasu 6

19′ GOAL FOR ARSENAL! BUT IT IS RULED OUT! Fabio Vieira with the pass to pick out Martinelli, who races through on goal before sliding the ball into the corner of the net. Low to Pickford’s left as he raced out. Brilliant move and finish from the Gunners. Martinelli onside when he set off, but Eddie Nketiah is offside via the VAR. We remain at 0-0.

20′ EVERTON LIKE A SPONGE AT THE MOMENT Soaking up so much pressure. So fortunate not to be behind, and Martinelli has injured himself in the process of scoring that goal. Was Eddie Nketiah who was offside not the scorer. Looks like he may be subbed here.

47′ START AS YOU MEAN TO GO ON Arsenal swarming all over the blue shirts as Martin Odegaard drives the ball at goal. Decent height for Pickford as he dives to his right to make the stop.

27′ CHANCE FOR EVERTON TO BREAK! Beto attempts to take on Saliba for pace out wide, but he is not going to win that foot race. Great piece of defending to usher him away from goal. And it is a goalkick to the visitors.

69′ GOAL FOR ARSENAL! Brilliant finish from Leandro Trossard to open his body up and slip the ball in off the post on the run. No chance for Pickford. A magical finish from the Saka pass. Superb too from Odegaard. A deserved lead.

78′ PICKFORD WITH A FINE STOP To halt the shot by Odegaard on the run. Fabio Vieira on the follow-up, but his shot is blocked by the legs of Mykolenko. Almost a second goal for the visitors.