From September 4, at Old Trafford, dated the last defeat in the Premier League del Arsenalwho, 13 games later, after seven victories in the last eight rounds, revived his frustration, felt vulnerable and resumed the debate on his leadership, reduced by the reborn Everton and a headbutt from James Tarkowski (1-0).
There are still five more points in the same 20 games than the Manchester City, and he is still the first in the table with the guarantee that means that he has not lost more than ten points out of the 60 for which he has played this season, but his supernatural aspect of the entire previous tour is no longer so scary. He no longer seems unapproachable. He is no longer unstoppable.
It is the effect of a defeat that hardly anyone counted on. His 13 straight games without losing or his six wins in the last seven trips or his four wins in a row away from him came to nothing when he appeared at Goodison Park.
Radical change
Everton overtook the leader. It was not Manchester City. Neither did Manchester United. Nor Newcastle. Not even Tottenham. Not the Everton of other times. It was an Everton whose crisis was prolonged, but suddenly it seems a matter of the past. Penultimate in the standings at the start of the day, the team that a dozen days ago fired Frank Lampard by the results it has been reborn with Sean Dyche. In a week. A visible and incontestable mutation.
Tarkowski Airlines ✈️
The first goal of the Dyche era. The one with the illusion The one who gives the Everton fans reasons to believe in salvation 👏#PremierLeagueDAZN ⚽ 🏴 pic.twitter.com/kYuK2AyJin
— DAZN Spain (@DAZN_ES) February 4, 2023
A team that had only added 15 of the previous 60 points for which they had competed, which was going through the precipice of eight consecutive games without winning, had lost six of their last seven clashes in the ‘Premier’ before hosting Arsenal, they had lost their most recent four games at Goodison Park and had not won since Oct. 22, when they posted one of their only four wins to date.
All of this is as true as Everton no longer resembles that team that wandered around the last few dates. He demonstrated it in the impressive scenario that means facing the most fearsome team in the current championship, the best of all, which he placated at a frenetic pace at times, with a defensive firmness unknown throughout the course, with a very fast transition, with the counterattack ; finally, without fear, without complexes.
Reluctantly
Arsenal never felt comfortable, suddenly on a ‘steep’ terrain, which they probably had not visualized before, neither on the blackboard nor in the plan proposed by Mikel Arteta during the visit to Goodison Park nor probably throughout the season, in the determined path that it has followed from the beginning of the campaign until now, with only one defeat in its 20 games played, until this Saturday. He has already lost two duels.
It is true that everything would have been different for the ‘Gunners’ if Nketiah had hit it with a shot with his right foot that is normally a goal (his shot was horrible) or if Conor Coady had not interposed Saka’s shot, with 0-0 , as it would also have been much worse if Everton had been more effective. Or Calvert-Lewin. Or Doucouré. In the roller coaster of the first part, the tie was the most natural. In the second, the leader fell.
“I love my players EVEN MORE!” ❤️
Mikel Arteta backs @Arsenal to quickly recover from defeat at @Everton 👊 pic.twitter.com/B2jwpK1RPv
— Hayters TV (@HaytersTV) February 4, 2023
On the verge of game time, Everton dynamited the duel. The first play as Arsenal footballers by Jorginho and Trossard, winter signings, was the goal against, which they had nothing to do with, but which proposed them in the face of an immediate challenge. James Tarkowski’s header, superior to Odegaard -his marker- in pursuit of the corner kick, without a chance for Ramsdale, did not surprise anyone, among the apotheosis of the local fans.
The 1-0. A litmus test for Arsenal, who, moment by moment, as soon as they accepted the blow, relaunched their offensive against the local goal, more dizzying, more overflowing on the wings, more present in the opposite field and in the rival area, but also without skill in the auction, without his most usual flow of chances and without points against Everton, which reopens the debate on a leader who until now seemed unquestionable.
Datasheet:
Everton: Pickford; Coleman, Coady, Tarkowski, Mykolenko; Doucouré, Iwobi, Onana; McNeil, Iwobi; Calvert-Lewin (Maupay, m. 61).
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Arsenal: Ramsdale; White, Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, Zinchenko; Thomas (Jorginho, m. 58), Heir; Saka, Odegaard (Fabio Vieira, 77), Martinelli (Trossard, 58); Nketiah.
Gol: 1-0, m. 60: Tarkowski.
