On a frigid Merseyside evening, Arsenal exorcised a familiar ghost. A hard-fought 1-0 victory over Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday, secured by a Viktor Gyokeres penalty, propelled the Gunners back to the Premier League summit and signalled a potential shift in a damaging seasonal pattern.
Breaking the December Curse
Cold winter nights have often heralded the unravelling of Arsenal's title ambitions. Dropping points at Everton would have been a classic hallmark of a December stumble, a month where the north London club has historically faltered against teams they were expected to beat. The scars are recent: December 2023 brought defeats to Fulham, West Ham, and Aston Villa, followed by frustrating draws against Fulham and Everton in the same month a year later.
With a loss to Villa and a nervy win over Wolves in recent weeks, the spectre of another collapse loomed large. This result, however, has pushed that narrative aside—at least for now. The win, earned through Gyokeres' second-half spot-kick, ensures Arsenal will be top of the tree at Christmas for the third time in four years, laying a foundation to learn from the painful lessons of previous seasons.
A Psychologically Pivotal Three Points
The significance of this victory was amplified by events elsewhere. Seeing Manchester City defeat West Ham earlier to temporarily claim top spot piled pressure onto Mikel Arteta's side at Goodison Park. In the psychological warfare of a title race, City would have sensed blood had Arsenal wobbled so early. The mental scars inflicted by Pep Guardiola's team in recent years, particularly the agonising capitulation in the 2022-23 season after leading for 248 days, are not easily forgotten.
This context made navigating a tricky away fixture and emerging two points clear a crucial statement. It demonstrates a resilience that must be sustained, with challenging fixtures against Brighton and Aston Villa still to come this month. The victory was not without controversy, as Everton felt aggrieved referee Sam Barrott did not award a penalty for William Saliba's accidental kick on Thierno Barry, but Arsenal also struck the woodwork twice and might have won more comfortably.
Odegaard's Leadership and Gyokeres' Boost
Central to the result was a moment of captain's intuition from Martin Odegaard. With his side awarded a penalty, the Norwegian playmaker selflessly handed the ball to Gyokeres, replicating a gesture he made for Kai Havertz during a goal drought in September 2023. While Gyokeres is not in such a barren spell—he now has seven goals this term—the £64 million striker has faced scrutiny after a series of subdued performances since returning from injury.
The confidently converted penalty provides a vital injection of confidence for the forward. Arteta praised the decision, stating, "I love when players take ownership and decide by themselves what is the best decision. That's something really positive." For Odegaard, whose own season has been interrupted by injury, his influence on team cohesion was again evident, even if his peak performance levels are still returning. After a quiet first half, he grew into the game, notably creating the chance for Martin Zubimendi that struck the post.
For now, Arteta and his squad can enjoy their Christmas dinners knowing they lead the pack. The tough road ahead is clear, but by conquering a traditional stumbling block, they have taken a significant step towards proving this year's challenge has the steel to last.
