Everton fans didn't want to get their hopes up that Champions League was a possibility, only to get their hearts broken, but they might allow themselves to believe they can clinch fourth place after Sunday's performance. They were absolutely brilliant at Goodison Park, demolishing Arsenal en route to an easy 3-0 victory.
Everton vs. Arsenal: Final score 3-0, a masterclass from the Toffees
The race for fourth just got very fun. Arsenal have some serious work to do after they got absolutely obliterated by Everton.
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The game appeared to get off to a bad start for the Toffees, when Leon Osman went down with an injury. He wasn't able to continue after a nasty challenge with Bacary Sagna and was replaced by Ross Barkley. Whether Everton's young star was initially held out for fitness concerns or for his inexperience wasn't clear, but his presence became a massive boost for them.
Everton scored their opener after just 14 minutes, and it felt like it was coming from Barkley's entrance onward. Leighton Baines set it up with a ball into Lukaku, who hit a hard shot right at Wojciech Szczesny. The Arsenal keeper was able to make a save, but not control the ball, and it bounced to Steven Naismith to set him up for a comfortable finish.
Arsenal failed to get a grip on the game throughout the first half. They had a bit more possession after that first goal and fewer cheap turnovers, but still failed to find anyone in dangerous spots going forward, while Everton continued to look threatening on quick counters. Barkley had a good chance saved in the 30th minute, but Everton wouldn’t have to wait much longer for their second.
Lukaku was involved again, but this time he finished off the move for himself. Kevin Mirallas will be credited with an assist for finding him on the right wing, but the goal was all about the individual effort from the Chelsea loanee. He cut in from the flank and surged past Nacho Monreal, then two other Arsenal defenders before finding a narrow shooting lane and driving a perfect left-footed shot to the low corner.
The hosts had a few nervous moments after that, many of them due to the fidgetiness of John Stones, the highly touted young defender who was forced to start in place of Phil Jagielka. He had a couple of botched clearances in the first half and let Olivier Giroud in for a good chance in the 53rd minute, but did well to recover and draw a foul to end the danger. Ultimately, Everton were not punished for Stones' shaky performance, and went on to score a third goal.
Mirallas was the Everton man on the end of the move, though the goal is being credited as an own goal to former Toffees star Mikel Arteta. The goal was similar to the first, with Szczesny making an initial save -- this time on Naismith -- but giving up a big rebound. Mirallas barreled towards this one and nudged it towards the net, but Arteta got the final touch before the ball rolled over the line.
Aaron Ramsey made his return from injury after that, replacing Mathieu Flamini in the 66th minute. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Yaya Sonogo also entered, with the former hitting the crossbar in the 86th minute, but Arsenal Wenger's substitutions couldn't engineer a turnaround for the Gunners.
Everton: Howard; Baines, Distin, Stones, Coleman; Barry, McCarthy; Naismith (McGeady 81’), Osman (Barkley 10’), Mirallas; Lukaku (Deulofeu 86’)
Goals: Naismith (14’), Lukaku (34’), Arteta (OG 61’)
Arsenal: Szczesny; Monreal, Vermaelen, Mertesacker, Sagna; Arteta, Flamini (Ramsey 66’); Podolski (Oxlade-Chamberlain 66’), Rosicky, Cazorla; Giroud (Sanogo 71’)
Goals: None
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