Everton 0 Arsenal 1: Gunners scrape past resilient Toffees thanks to Trossard as finishing lets down Dyche’s side

MIKEL ARTETA can at least kick off his biggest week as Arsenal manager with three Premier League points.

A first win in six visits to Goodison Park masks the sluggishness in his players’ legs with just over 48 hours to go until the club makes its long-awaited return to the Champions League.

PALeandro Trossard scored the only goal of the game as Arsenal beat Everton 1-0[/caption]

ReutersThe Gunners had to work hard for their win at Goodison Park[/caption]

Arsenal can point at the debate around Gabriel Martinelli’s disallowed first half goal all they like. 

This match against a team sleepwalking through a crucial season should have been easy pickings.

Instead, boss Arteta had to wait until the 70th minute for sub Leandro Trossard to finally break the deadlock with a rare moment of class to snatch the victory that keeps Arsenal in touch with the early season pacesetters in the Premier League.

It will also ease the pressure as they turn their attention to hosting a match of the highest level with the visit of PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday.

After that comes the North London derby next weekend and the two bitter rivals will be level on points thanks to Belgian flyer Trossard’s exquisite finish.

Like most of the top teams in Europe, Arteta is reassembling his cosmopolitan squad following the two week international break.

And it’s not uncommon for their jet-lagged stars to be out-of-sorts in the first game back.

But with serious ambitions of taking on Premier League champions Manchester City over the long haul this season, that is simply not on the menu for the determined Spaniard.

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ReutersGabriel Martinelli looked to have given Arsenal the lead after 19 minutes[/caption]

GettyArsenal’s joy was to be short-lived as VAR intervened[/caption]

City took their time getting into gear at West Ham on Saturday but ran out 3-1 winners eventually against one of the most spirited sides in the division and one in form.

Everton have yet to win a game at home this season or even score a goal.

And with the way they were set up by boss Sean Dyche they did not appear that bothered about bucking the trend anytime soon.

Quite how this club has enjoyed a long-running hoodoo over their illustrious opposition is a major curiosity.

The two sides are heading in vastly different directions and with drab performances like this, Everton are only going one way.

Sky SportsVAR controversially ruled the goal out for offside with a bizarre angle[/caption]

GettyMartinelli’s day went from bad to worse as he limped off injured[/caption]

The new stadium is springing up in the Liverpool docks a few miles away, a takeover bid is supposedly going through to bring an end to the miserable years under owner Farhad Moshiri.

Dyche is doing his best but at this rate, Everton’s next owners will get the keys to their new ground as a Championship side.

Which makes Arsenal’s failure to run riot in ending their jinx all the more frustrating for Arteta as he plots a course through a tough seven days.

Martinelli was unfortunate that his 19th minute goal was ruled out. But it was technically the right decision.

The Brazilian winger provided a tidy finish at the end of a run having picked up a pass from Fabio Vieira. But that’s when the debate started.

GettyTrossard ensured Arsenal bagged all three points with a curling shot[/caption]

GettyThe Belgian’s impact 20 minutes from the end was enough to seal Arsenal’s win[/caption]

Vieria had collected the ball from Eddie Nketiah, jogging back from an offside position, having inadvertently been presented with a pass from Everton forward Beto.

Beto’s attempt to close down Arsenal defender Gabriel sent the ball spinning to the Arsenal striker and this was the sticking point.

VAR decided it was accidental which therefore meant Nketiah was offside. In a nutshell, the bods at PGMOL best explained it by stating Beto did not intend to pass to an Arsenal player.

Given the malaise at Everton that could be up for discussion – but for Arteta at least it didn’t become decisive.

After Martinelli limped off five minutes after having his goal disallowed, Trossard came on and would ultimately prove the main man.

With time ticking away, Trossard, who scored for his country during the international break, collected a neat cut back from Bukayo Saka inside the box, opened his body and planted a left foot shot across the face of goal and into the net with 21 minutes left.

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