Gunners secure 2-0 victory in the pouring rain at the Emirates Stadium thanks to goals from Konsa and Gabriel

Show caption: Arsenal defender Gabriel celebrates scoring his team’s secon…

Arsenal moved to level on points with Manchester City at the top of the Premier League after a comfortable 2-0 win over Everton in the pouring North London rain on Saturday.

After table-toppers City fell to their first league defeat of the season earlier in the day, when Enzo Maresca's side lost 2-1 at Aston Villa, reigning champions Arsenal made no mistake a few hours later at the Emirates Stadium.

A goal in each half from Ezri Konsa and then Gabriel earned the Gunners all three points against a tepid Everton attacking performance and Arsenal move alongside City – but behind on goal difference – on 21 points from eight games.

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Victory came on the back of Arsenal's draining Uefa Champions League draw at Bayern Munich on Tuesday when a late goal from Declan Rice had earned Mikel Arteta's team a battling point in Germany, but saw Bukayo Saka limp off with a thigh injury that could rule him out for six to eight weeks.

“It is a great feeling to get the three points, it always is. A clean sheet and a goal; it is a fantastic day overall,” said Konsa.

“I’ve been waiting to score my first goal for a while. I spoke to the set-piece coach before the game and he said he had been waiting for it as well. It was only right I got it today. A goal from a set-piece has felt like it has been coming and today was the day.

“I’m pleased for Gabriel. He is a top player and a top human. He has made my life easy since I joined the club and it is a pleasure to play along side him.

“I've come to this stadium for many seasons, I know how tough it is to play against us. It's not surprising to me. We are champions and to be champions you've got to win games consistently. This is our home and we want to win as many games here as possible.”

The opening goal came after an almighty scramble in the Everton's box following Martin Odegaard's in-swinging corner which was eventually bundled home virtually on the goalline by Konsa.

It was the England defender's first goal for the club following his summer switch from Aston Villa and, surprisingly, Arsenal's first from a set-piece this season.

The second did not arrive until the 68th minute and this time it was Konsa's defensive partner Gabriel – in his 200th Premier League game – who scored it.

A nice Arsenal move saw an interchange of short passes ending with substitute Bruno Guimaraes slotting a ball down the flank to Ben White, who was played onside by the away defence, and his cross into the box was headed home at the far post by his Brazilian teammate.

Next up for Arsenal will an away day at fourth-tier Fleetwood Town in the League Cup last-16 on Tuesday, followed by a trip to Anfield to take on Liverpool next weekend.

Everton have now won just once in seven league matches but remain in the top half of the table, although that could change if results go against them on Sunday.

They now face a double-header against Newcastle United, starting with Thursday's League Cup tie on Merseyside, followed b

“Ultimately two set-pieces have cost us,” said Everton captain James Tarkowski. “I thought we did all right. We created a few chances ourselves but it feels disappointing – the second one especially was a suckerpunch.

“The minimum is leaving everything out there. That is what the fans and the club expect of us. There was quality at times and we could have scored one. I’ve had much tougher games here but the three points doesn’t go our way.”