Arsenal centre-backs make the difference to cut gap to leaders Man City

Arsenal 2-0 Everton: Ezri Konsa and Gabriel were on target for the reigning champions

Ezri Konsa and Gabriel were both on target for Arsenal (Adam Davy/PA)

Centre-back partners Ezri Konsa and Gabriel Magalhaes celebrated personal milestones as Arsenal beat Everton 2-0 to move level on points with Premier League leaders Manchester City.

England defender Konsa scrambled home from a corner in the seventh minute at the Emirates Stadium to claim his first goal for the club since arriving from Aston Villa in the summer.

Gabriel sealed victory with a second-half header on his 200th Premier League appearance, ensuring the Gunners took full advantage of City’s 2-1 defeat at Aston Villa in Saturday’s early kick-off.

Ezri Konsa put Arsenal ahead (Adam Davy/PA)

Victory for Mikel Arteta’s reigning champions was a seventh from eight top-flight fixtures this season and an 11th from 13 games in all competitions.

Everton had opportunities to spring a surprise, with Thierno Barry and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall wasting their best openings before they slipped to a second-successive defeat.