Saturday 4th March 2023

Kick off 3pm Premier League

Emirates Stadium

Arsenal may have been Shaun Dyche’s first victims as Everton manager when the Gunners lost to a James Tarkowski header at Goodison Park a month ago, but Dyche’s side had no answers for a rampant attacking display from Arsenal on Wednesday night.

Goals from Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli on the stroke of half time paved the way for Arsenal to run riot in the second half against an Everton team completely bereft of ideas- this was certainly a game where it was all about Arsenal getting the first goal and breaking down Dyche’s defensive outfit.

In what was at times a cagey first half before Saka’s powerful finish, Arsenal were playing with something of a swagger about them after half time and looked to have found the attacking formula that has served Mikel Arteta so well this season.

With this being Arsenal’s game in hand on Manchester City, the Gunners now have a five point lead at the top of the Premier League at the start of March, and have won their last three after hitting choppy waters with defeats against Everton and Manchester City.

A home game against 19th placed Bournemouth will be viewed as a good chance to kick on after Wednesday night’s excellent display.

Manchester City face Newcastle on Saturday lunchtime, a game that could potentially help Arsenal before the Gunners kick off at 3pm at the Emirates tomorrow afternoon.

Martin Odegaard hit a brace before a stunning strike from William Saliba as Arsenal brushed Bournemouth aside on the south coast back in August, with Scott Parker sacked after the following game, a humiliating 9-0 loss to Liverpool.

Gary O’Neill was able to rebuild with a six game unbeaten run, but the Cherries have struggled to take points off the top sides in the Premier League all season long and will have their work cut out against league leaders Arsenal.

Arsenal fans were cheering on the Cherries last weekend as O’Neill’s side took on Manchester City, but Jefferson Lerma’s goal proved only a consolation as City won 4-1 at the Vitality Stadium.

Bournemouth have scored 22 Premier League goals this season, and Erling Haaland has hit 27, so it was always going to be something of a mismatch!

With a trip to Lisbon coming up on Thursday in the Europa League Round of 16, Mikel Arteta will likely change his squad around over the coming week.

Emile Smith-Rowe played the final eight minutes on Wednesday night from the bench, a long awaited return for the talented midfielder, who had also started for Arsenal’s under-21s against Chelsea two days earlier.

Furthermore, the eagerly anticipated return for Gabriel Jesus is “Not far away now”, according to Mikel Arteta, who said that the striker “is doing certain things with the team and certain things outside the team. He’s not very close, but he’s not far."

Arteta confirmed that Jesus is still yet to be ready to take part in full contact training.