Everton 1 Arsenal 1:GOODISON PARK was engulfed in fog last night but that was no excuse for Arsenal losing Tim Cahill in it. The spring-heeled Australian inflicted his third piece of aerial damage on a top-four team but, thanks to Robin van Persie's immaculate response in the final seconds of injury time, the impact was limited on Arsene Wenger's team.
Until van Persie’s intervention it was not Arsenal’s pay structure that Wenger should have been afraid of breaking in his pursuit of Andrei Arshavin but into the top four and the riches of the Champions League.
His side were staring at a six-point gulf behind Aston Villa and their lack of ingenuity against David Moyes’ side was glaring.
Everton were closing out the seconds and eyeing a two-point gap on Arsenal when Abou Diaby launched one final, long ball towards the Gwladys Street goal. For the first time on the night, Van Persie, Arsenal’s finest player by a distance, escaped Phil Jagielka and drove an outstanding finish through the suspect guard of Tim Howard at his near post.
With Marouane Fellaini returning from a two-match suspension and Mikel Arteta recovered from a rib injury, Everton were able to show far more adventure and quality than in the FA Cup derby at Anfield on Sunday.
Again Moyes’ side were robust in defence and dangerous at set-pieces, but with Fellaini and Arteta available they also sought to play Arsenal at their own game and pass their way through and around the defence.
Arsenal began impressively, with Emmanuel Adebayor and Van Persie prominent against the in-form central defence of Jagielka and Joleon Lescott.
Once Arteta began to dictate proceedings in central midfield, the momentum swung Everton’s way.
A glorious pass from Steven Pienaar inside the right-back released Leighton Baines down the left and only a fine intervention from Johan Djourou prevented Fellaini converting the full-back’s low cross at the near post.
Denilson should have delivered the desperately required breakthrough minutes after the restart when van Persie shrugged aside Arteta’s challenge and surged through the defence before finding the Brazilian free on the right. Unmarked and with time to size up his finish, however, the midfielder side-footed over horribly.
Cahill almost plundered the 100th goal of his club career when he moved onto Arteta’s pass in the area and shot into the side-netting.
The century arrived with Everton’s next attack. Fellaini fed Pienaar who, as so often, released Baines into space down the left. The full-back crossed deep and Cahill, not for the first or the last time, escaped his marker, Gael Clichy, to send a fine header back into Almunia’s right-hand corner.
Guardian Service
EVERTON: Howard, Hibbert, Jagielka, Lescott, Baines, Osman, Arteta, Neville, Pienaar, Fellaini, Cahill (Anichebe 86). Subs not used: Nash, Yobo, Castillo, Rodwell, Jutkiewicz, Gosling. Booked: Arteta, Hibbert.
ARSENAL: Almunia, Sagna (Eboue 72), Djourou, Gallas, Clichy, Nasri, Denilson, Song Billong (Bendtner 72), Diaby, Adebayor, Van Persie. Subs not used: Fabianski, Toure, Vela, Ramsey, Gibbs. Booked: Diaby, Nasri.
Referee: Andre Marriner (W Midlands).
