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Hello, and welcome to today’s liveblog.
The teams are out, and there’s no Aiden McGeady in the Everton starting line-up despite his wonder goal last week. Seamus Coleman, however, does return to the team.
EVERTON: Howard, Coleman, Jagielka, Distin, Baines, Barry, McCarthy, Mirallas, Naismith, Pienaar, Lukaku.
ARSENAL: Szczesny, Debuchy, Mertesacker, Chambers, Monreal, Flamini, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Wilshere, Ramsey, Ozil, Sanchez.
So here’s what happened in this fixture last season (apologies Arsenal fans).
We’re underway…
3 mins: It’s been a fairly low-key start.
No real chances to speak of thus far.
6 mins: Oxlade-Chamberlain attempts to find Sanchez with his cross, but Distin is well positioned to clear.
Meanwhile, Everton have been forced into an early change, with Osman coming on for Pienaar.
13 mins: Everton have a chance to break, as Mirallas sprints down the left, but Chambers makes a timely interception to bring the attack to a halt.
Moments later, a poor clearance from Coleman falls to Oxlade-Chamberlain, who shoots narrowly wide from the edge of the box.
Arsenal have started well, while Everton’s ineptitude was summed up by the aforementioned error from the Irish international. They’ve been sloppy throughout the team so far.
GOAL FOR EVERTON!
Everton 1-0 Arsenal (Coleman 18 mins)
A beautiful cross is flighted into the Arsenal box and Coleman beats the offside trap to head home.
It’s slightly against the run of play, but Everton won’t care.
20 mins: Mirallas finds himself through on goal, but under pressure from the goalkeeper, his shot goes just wide. Arsenal are looking very shaky all of a sudden.
Martin Tyler has described Seamus Coleman as the league’s “best raiding right-back”. Few would disagree with that assertion.
Here’s a look at that Coleman goal.
http://vine.co/v/MLFMZAltgtA
30 mins: The ball falls to Oxlade-Chamberlain on the edge of the box, but his shot is well wide.
It’s been a fairly half-hearted response to the goal by Arsenal, and the English international’s effort epitomises the Gunners’ woe.
(Everton’s head groundsman Bob Lennon is the latest person to do the ice bucket challenge)
34 mins: After Chambers sloppily gives away a foul, Mirallas curls the ensuing free-kick from the edge of the box just wide.
Everton look like the more likely team to score next, with Arsenal appearing increasingly frustrated, as illustrated by the needless frees they’re giving away.
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41 mins: Arsenal’s attacks are looking uncharacteristically limp at the moment.
The passing is invariably all too elaborate, while Barry and McCarthy have protected their defence excellently.
GOAL FOR EVERTON!
Everton 2-0 Arsenal (Naismith 44)
Great play from Lukaku, who shrugs off his man, before sprinting down the wing and playing through Naismith.
The Scottish striker looks marginally offside judging by the replays, but the officials give him the benefit of the doubt, and he finishes coolly to double Everton’s advantage.
HALF-TIME: EVERTON 2-0 ARSENAL
(A banner of Everton manager Roberto Martinez on the side of a stand at Goodison Park)
The second half is underway…
Sanchez has been replaced by Giroud at half-time for Arsenal.
46 mins: Within a minute of the restart, Giroud latches on to a lofted through pass and volleys just wide. That would have been some introduction to the game.
It was Coleman who appeared to lose the striker. Perhaps that level of consistent concentration at the back is the one flaw in the Irishman’s game.
50 mins: Claims for a penalty as Osman’s attempted cross strikes Ramsey.
Judging by the replay, it would have been very harsh as the Welsh international was so close to the ball.
52 mins: Jack Wilshere is arguably lucky to escape with just a yellow, after a nasty late tackle on Gareth Barry.
Incidentally, it was preceded by an outrageous nutmeg from an increasingly confident-looking Seamus Coleman.
Here’s what Everton’s second goal looked like by the way.
http://vine.co/v/MLFr93aLJDl
61 mins: Arsenal have just started to control the play a bit more now.
The Gunners are passing the ball around nicely currently, with the game looking far from over at this point.
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66 mins: Giroud receives the ball on the edge of the box, turning sharply and shooting narrowly wide.
Arsenal have definitely upped the tempo of late.
69 mins: Another chance falls to Giroud, but the big striker finishes poorly from close range.
Meanwhile, Everton are still looking menacing on the counter-attack, with Lukaku in particular causing problems with his pace.
73 mins: Coleman beats Debuchy before Arsenal nervously clear his dangerous cross into the box. The Irishman has been excellent as ever today.
Jack Wilshere and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are both substituted, with Joel Campbell and Santi Cazorla on for Arsenal. Meanwhile, for Everton, McGeady has replaced Lukaku.
78 mins: Arsenal lose possession in a dangerous area, and McGeady’s subsequent pass through to Coleman is just short enough for Mertesacker to recover and tackle the Irish star.
With 10 minutes remaining, this game appears to be all but over.
(Coleman has impressed for Everton today)
GOAL FOR ARSENAL!
Everton 2-1 Arsenal (Ramsey 83)
Great ball in from Cazorla, and Ramsey meets the cross with a perfectly timed run, slotting the ball into the net to give Arsenal hope.
This game looks set for a tense finish.
The changes have definitely had a positive impact on Arsenal.
Always easy in hindsight of course, but that fantastic Cazorla ball into the box makes you wonder why he was left out.
GOAL FOR ARSENAL!
Everton 2-2 Arsenal (Giroud 89 mins)
Giroud heads home a tantalising cross as a tired-looking Everton fail to hold onto their lead and concede a late goal for the second week running.
Arsenal haven’t played well today, but they have at least shown admirable resilience.
FULL-TIME: EVERTON 2-2 ARSENAL
So Arsenal don’t quite snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, but as Martin Tyler points out, it feels like a win given how poorly they played for much of the game.
A clinical Everton held a deserved advantage at half-time following goals by Seamus Coleman and Steven Naismith, as Roberto Martinez’s side threatened to overrun their opponents.
The second half initially followed a similar pattern with Everton looking the better team, but some astute substitutions by Arsene Wenger helped turn the tide, as the Gunners exposed signs of fatigue in the Toffees’ play to snatch an unlikely draw late on.
Right, that’s it from me.
Thanks for reading and commenting, and rest assured we’ll have more reaction to come.
