It was six years this week that Mikel Arteta, his appointment as Arsenal manager imminent, sat in the directors’ box at Everton to observe the size of the task ahead of him, as his side played out a moribund goalless draw.
Anniversaries bring a reckoning — in Arteta’s case, that perennial question of whether he really can take his grand old club to the Premier League title.
It has been 21 years now. It was a new Everton stadium he arrived at this time, but the obstacles to that prize were so very familiar — the brooding presence of his nemesis Manchester City, back at the top of the league for the first time in 14 months after beating West Ham, and the perennial struggle for goals of these past six years.
Before kick-off, City had 10 goals more than Arsenal, a side who, for all the ink spilt on the subject, still lack a prolific finisher. But this win was hugely significant in a place where the hosts looked to create an atmosphere, to go with an impressive pre-match light show.
But given the machine that City have become again, the uncomfortable question of Arsenal’s attacking menace does not disappear into the night.
Declan Rice was the talisman, a constant orchestrator and tireless worker to thwart Everton’s attempts to break out.
‘Unbelievable,’ Arteta said of him. ‘His all-round play, the amount of balls he regained. He has been incredibly consistent.’
Everton boss David Moyes, Rice’s former manager at West Ham, went further. ‘Probably the best midfielder in the world,’ was his description.
Yet there was nothing lethal about the finishing at the end of some fine passing movements from Arsenal.
The handful of Arsenal players with four goals to their name was still as abundant as it got for the club before 8pm last night, by which time Erling Haaland had extended his Premier League tally to 17.
It said everything for the need to build some self-belief into Viktor Gyokeres that when Everton’s Jake O’Brien gifted Arsenal a first half penalty, with a two-handed basketball manoeuvre from a Rice corner, Martin Odegaard, the usual taker, handed the ball to the Swede.
Gyokeres did the job, despatching the ball firmly to Jordan Pickford’s left, to the visible frustration of Moyes, who was still fuming about the concession of what he called a ‘stupid’ penalty.
Others chipped in. A Martin Zubimendi snapshot flew over the bar. Bukayo Saka traced a ball into the channel for Jurrien Timber to deliver into the six-yard box. Saka was also unmarked to shoot from ten yards around the hour mark, when the redoubtable James Tarkowski blocked.
By the time Leandro Trossard arced a ball against the upright after a brilliant passing move just past the hour mark, Gabriel Jesus was preparing to replace Gyokeres up front.
Arsenal’s intellectually enlightened contingent could think of little to contribute for a period in the first half than ‘Feed the Scousers’, a tediously dull contribution and an embarrassment to their club.
Everton advertised Fans Supporting Foodbanks on their big screen throughout the game and Arsenal have supported the cause in previous years. Haven’t we moved on from chants like this?
It’s the sixth anniversary of what proved to be a sliding doors moment for Moyes, too. When Arteta took up that Goodison Park seat in Christmas week, 2019, Carlos Ancelotti was also in attendance, about to be appointed Everton manager instead of Moyes, who thought the job was going to be his.
How differently the course of Everton’s intervening years might have been with Moyes at the helm, but instead he finds himself in the foothills of a rebuild.
In the absence of their best attacking creative players, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Iliman Ndiaye, this was men against boys. Jack Grealish, who began this season like a train, couldn’t make much impression. Carlos Alcaraz was poor.
Everton’s defence offered most. Tarkowski was a leader once again and it has been gratifying to see Michael Keane, who has had his difficulties over the years, enjoying such a fine season.
This was also a night of fine defensive challenges from Tim Iroegbunam, offering more evidence of the qualities Moyes has imbued the side with.
There were howls of protest when a penalty was not given after William Saliba made contact with Thierno Barry’s foot as he chased him to the fringe of the Arsenal area.
It didn’t look enough for a penalty and Moyes was not complaining last night. ‘I think they said it was insufficient contact,’ he said.
Barry’s tendency to go to ground is so pronounced that they have been purposely ignoring him when he goes down in training. As Everton laboured to test Arsenal’s rearguard, Dominic Calvert-Lewin was scoring at Leeds. A case of what might have been, had he not fallen out of love with this city.
At the end, Arteta punched the air and the buoyant away contingent chanted ‘We are top of the league.’
Arsenal are top at Christmas for the third time in four years and Arteta was not ready to ponder how he can convert that into a title.
‘Enjoy the process of winning,’ he said. ‘It gives me belief and confidence that the team is constantly there. We are going to have to go to difficult places and we are there. Work for the next game, try to improve.’
It looks like a tough road ahead.
