An Arsenal outfit going in search of a third straight Premier League win host an Everton side at risk of a third straight Premier League game without a win at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.

Mikel Arteta's men stayed within touching distance of Manchester City courtesy of a 1-0 success at Nottingham Forest last weekend, while the Toffees were subjected to their first loss of the top-flight campaign, a 2-0 reverse vs. Chelsea.

Match preview

The all-too common City Ground stalemate was on the cards for Arsenal last weekend, when the English champions looked set to settle for a 0-0 draw away to Nottingham Forest for the third year running, until Arteta's game-changing changes came to the fore again.

After Eberechi Eze's first half left a lot to be desired, Noni Madueke made the most of his second-half cameo with a critical 80th-minute strike - albeit a deflected one - to ensure Arsenal would remain just three points below unblemished Manchester City in the Premier League rankings.

The Sky Blues can go six points clear again - for at least a couple of hours - by getting the better of Aston Villa in the lunchtime kickoff, but the Emirates evidence suggests that Arteta's side will quickly cut the gap back down again.

Indeed, the Gunners have won each of their three Premier League home games this season and have prevailed in each of their last six top-flight matches at the Emirates all told, shipping just two goals in the process.

Amid ongoing and increasing criticism of their perceived 'boring' playstyle, Arsenal scored two or more goals for the fifth time in seven games on Wednesday evening, salvaging a creditable 2-2 Champions League draw with Bayern Munich thanks in no small part to Eze's rapid redemption arc.

Scrapping hard to end their nine-year spell without any form of European football, Everton share Arsenal's standout record of just one Premier League loss all season, although that solitary defeat arrived in dampening circumstances last weekend.

Either side of a distressing head injury to Emiliano Martinez that overshadowed the result, Pedro Neto breached the Everton backline twice to end the Toffees' unbeaten start to the campaign and raise doubts about their continental credentials.

Only one of Everton's last six Premier League games has now ended in victory, although failure to convert draws into triumphs has been their downfall rather than a propensity for defeats; their four stalemates is the joint-most in the league with Brentford, Leeds United and Manchester United.

David Moyes's eighth-placed crop are only below the Bees and the Whites on goal difference too, while being just three points off the top four, and three draws from three away games means that they are one of just four teams yet to lose a Premier League match on the road in 2026-27.

However, Everton were undone by an Arsenal late show in March's 2-0 Emirates loss - in which Max Dowman became the youngest Premier League goalscorer in history - and the Toffees are winless in seven against the Gunners since James Tarkowski propelled them to a 1-0 Goodison Park victory in February 2023. 

Arsenal Premier League form:

Arsenal form (all competitions):

Everton Premier League form:

Everton form (all competitions):

Team News

Arsenal's point at the Allianz Arena came at a significant cost, as Bukayo Saka hurt his quad while passing the ball in the 10th minute and had to be substituted for Eze, who made up for his City Ground disappointment with the opening goal in midweek.

Saka's length of absence is yet to be determined, but Arteta is fearing the worst, so Eze will undoubtedly return to the first XI on Saturday, as Madueke switches over to the right flank again.

The Gunners boss also ought to consider some non-enforced changes, bringing in Myles Lewis-Skelly and Viktor Gyokeres for Bruno Guimaraes and Kai Havertz after the latter two struggled to perform in Munich.

Piero Hincapie might recover from an ankle problem in time to make the cut, but William Saliba (back) and Christos Tzolis (hamstring) remain sidelined for the hosts.

Meanwhile, Everton are blessed with a fully-fit squad - a major fillip for Moyes given his already-limited options - after ex-Arsenal midfielder Christian Norgaard recovered from a groin injury to make his debut against Chelsea.

However, another erstwhile Gunner in Ainsley Maitland-Niles endured a torrid time against Chelsea - finding himself at fault for Neto's opener - so Jake O'Brien may be restored to right-back in North London.

Arsenal possible starting lineup:

Raya; White, Konsa, Gabriel, Calafiori; Lewis-Skelly, Rice; Madueke, Odegaard, Eze; Gyokeres

Everton possible starting lineup:

Pickford; O'Brien, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Garner, Armstrong; Rohl, Dewsbury-Hall, Grealish; Barry

We say: Arsenal 2-0 Everton

Arsenal are now clocking up the air miles in Europe and have lost one of their most influential attackers over the past five seasons, but Arteta's cavalry have stepped up at both the City Ground and the Allianz Arena over the past week.

Against a confidence-zapped Everton side who have averaged less than a goal a game over their last five matches, we can only picture the Premier League champions making it three top-flight wins on the trot.

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