How did Arsenal become unstuck against the Toffees?

Everton were having a good run of form in the Premier League prior to this match, especially at home. They were unbeaten at the Goodison Park since the start of last month, including a goalless draw against their main rivals Liverpool, and a convincing win against Chelsea. Not only that, but they were also able to defeat West Ham away from home to finish March with high hopes. Their only bad result last month was a hard-fought 3–2 loss against Newcastle, who scored twice in the last 10 minutes.

In the opposite side, Arsenal were also in a good mood. They had won their last three matches against Manchester United, Rennes, and Newcastle. In those matches, they scored a grand total of seven goals and conceded none. As the only side in the Premier League without any clean sheets as a visiting team, those results gave the Gunners a good amount of confidence ahead of the match.

Positive vibes on both teams gave the game a high level of intensity and entertainment even before the whistle was blown. This match successfully met the expectations in terms of intensity, but not so much when it came to entertainment. Goalscoring chances were everywhere, especially for Everton, but the game ended with just one goal. This tactical analysis will tell you how Marco Silva outsmarted Unai Emery with his tactics and eventually secured an important win for his side.

Lineups

Silva chose 4–2–3–1 for his team. He picked veteran Phil Jagielka to play alongside Kurt Zouma in the heart of the defence. The duo of Idrissa Gana Gueye and Barcelona loanee Andre Gomes provided solidity as double pivots in the engine room. In front of them, the trio of Bernard, Gylfi Sigurðsson, and Richarlison were tasked with giving attacking support to the target-man, Dominic Calvert-Lewin. The bench was filled by the likes of Leighton Baines, Theo Walcott, and Ademola Lookman.

Meanwhile, Emery opted for a 3–4–3 for his side. Shkodran Mustafi, Sokratis Papastathopoulos, and Nacho Monreal were picked to form Emery’s back three. Alexandre Lacazette was  Arsenal’s only striker, supported by former Man. United player Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Mesut Özil, the latter being given the captaincy for this game. Names like Aaron Ramsey, Alex Iwobi, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had to start the game from the dugout.