Arsenal’s fading Premier League title hopes took another blow on Saturday as they were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw at Goodison Park. Despite taking the lead and dominating large stretches of the match, Mikel Arteta’s side once again failed to convert control into three points. With Liverpool maintaining their lead at the top of the table and still holding a game in hand, Arsenal now find themselves trailing by 11 points—an increasingly daunting gap with just a handful of games remaining.
The game began with promise for the Gunners, even with a lineup that reflected Arteta’s attention on the upcoming Champions League quarter-final clash with Real Madrid. Star players like Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli, and Thomas Partey were all named on the bench, while injuries kept Gabriel Magalhaes, Kai Havertz, and Gabriel Jesus out of contention. Still, Arsenal dictated the tempo in the opening half, controlling possession and pressing Everton high up the pitch.
It was in one of Everton’s rare forward surges, however, that Arsenal struck. A swift counter-attack led by Raheem Sterling carved open the hosts, and when he fed Leandro Trossard, the Belgian forward made no mistake. Trossard sent a low drive past Jordan Pickford, marking his first Premier League goal since January. It was a well-taken strike and deserved reward for Arsenal’s dominance, but it would prove to be their only significant breakthrough.
As has been the case too often this season, Arsenal struggled to build on their advantage. Wasteful finishing and a lack of cutting edge in the final third has plagued their campaign—even during periods when the likes of Havertz and Jesus were fit. Arteta reacted at halftime by introducing Saka and Martinelli in an attempt to inject urgency and attacking flair. But just moments after the restart, Arsenal’s control was shattered by a defensive lapse.
Myles Lewis-Skelly, making only his second league appearance, brought down Jack Harrison inside the area, prompting the referee to point to the spot. After a lengthy VAR review, the decision stood, and Iliman Ndiaye stepped up with calm confidence. He sent David Raya the wrong way to level the score and shift the momentum of the match.
From there, Everton grew in confidence. Abdoulaye Doucouré nearly turned the match on its head with a thunderous strike that forced a brilliant save from Raya. Arsenal’s grip on the game loosened, and while they continued to create chances, their finishing let them down time and again.
In the final stretch, Arteta introduced Odegaard in a bid to reclaim the lead, but the Norwegian’s low effort drifted wide after a promising pass from Kieran Tierney. Tierney again provided a dangerous ball minutes later, this time picking out Mikel Merino in the box, but the makeshift forward couldn’t keep his header on target. It was another missed opportunity in a match full of them for the Gunners.
For Everton, the result was a hard-earned point against top-four opposition. It moved them to 14th in the table and, more importantly, put them 15 points clear of the relegation zone. Coming off a tense derby loss to Liverpool just days earlier, they showed resilience and discipline to hold firm against a relentless Arsenal push.
While Everton did themselves proud with a gritty performance, the real story was Arsenal’s faltering title charge. What once looked like a possible return to Premier League glory now seems increasingly out of reach. Liverpool, needing just 11 points from their final eight matches, edge ever closer to equaling Manchester United’s record of 20 top-flight titles. For Arteta’s side, the focus may now shift fully to Europe, where their Champions League dream still lives—unlike their Premier League ambitions, which appear to be slipping through their fingers.
