A first-half Viktor Gyokeres penalty was all that prevented Everton from getting something to show from a gritty display against Premier League leaders Arsenal in the final match of 2025 at Hill Dickinson Stadium.

The crucial moment of a closely-fought encounter came on 27 minutes when Jake O’Brien was penalised for handling Declan Rice’s corner, allowing Gyokeres to net the winner from the spot.

Other than that, it was an even affair, Arsenal twice hitting the post in the second half but the Toffees putting plenty of pressure on the Gunners without truly testing the meanest defence in England.

Boss David Moyes could still take positives from another display which offered encouragement moving forward, especially with a host of key players missing for his side.

31 Comments

  1. Arsenal needs to be more aggressive. Too careful. They have to be murderous in their approach to games. The goalkeeper sees more of the ball than Gyokeres. That's wrong; too many back passes. Always playing in the wrong direction. Improvement is required immediately.