Arsenal beat Everton 2-0 on Saturday to pull level with Manchester City at the top of the Premier League , rediscovering their taste for set-piece goals at a rainswept Emirates.
The win meant Arsenal took full advantage of City’s 2-1 defeat at Villa Park in Saturday’s kick-off — the first time Enzo Maresca’s men had dropped points this season. Both teams are now on 21 points, but City, the Gunners’ main title rivals in recent seasons, have a superior goal difference. Gunners midfielder Mikel Merino flashed a header over the bar in the closing moments of the half, which ended with 13 shots and 10 corners for the home side, but just the solitary goal.
Also Read – Manchester City’s perfect Premier League start ends with defeat to Aston Villa It was the first non-penalty set-piece goal in all competitions in the current campaign for Arsenal — who earned a reputation last season as set-piece kings as they won their first Premier League title in a generation. Ezri Konsa bundled the ball into the net in the opening minutes for his first goal for the club since joining from Aston Villa in August. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was forced to shuffle his pack after Bukayo Saka suffered a muscle injury in the midweek Champions League draw at Bayern Munich, picking Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze as his wide players.
