Arsenal missed a vital chance to gain ground against Everton as recurring issues resurfaced.
Arsenal’s hopes for three points against Everton were dashed when The VAR reviewed the play for a possible penalty on Partey.
Despite Liverpool FC’s slip-up against Fulham, Arsenal was unable to capitalize, as Mikel Arteta’s team faced yet another controversy surrounding VAR.
In a goalless encounter at the Emirates, Arsenal’s aspirations for the Premier League title took another hit. Just days after a disappointing draw with Fulham, they were unable to seize the opportunity presented by Liverpool’s 2-2 stalemate with Fulham, leaving them with only a single point.
The team has now gone three league matches without scoring from open play, trailing Liverpool by six points while having played one additional match. They also find themselves one point behind Chelsea, who are set to face Brentford at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. The match concluded with a few boos from a discontented crowd at the Emirates.
The clearest opportunity of a lackluster first half—and the match overall—fell to Martin Odegaard around the 30-minute mark. The play began with a brilliant pass from Kai Havertz, which set Bukayo Saka in motion. The in-form England international skillfully maneuvered past Jarrad Branthwaite before delivering a pull-back to Odegaard. Positioned centrally and with space, Odegaard fired a left-footed shot towards the Everton goal, but Jordan Pickford made an impressive save to thwart the Arsenal captain. Pickford was called into action again just before halftime, blocking a shot from Gabriel Martinelli.
Everton largely focused on defending, allowing Arsenal to dominate possession with 75 percent in the first half. However, Abdoulaye Doucoure had an early opportunity in the sixth minute but took too long to shoot, allowing Gabriel—returning from injury after missing two matches—to deflect the ball for a corner.