How the national media reacted to Everton's 2-0

Everton's long wait for a win in front of supporters at Arsenal continues after they went down 2-0 to the defending champions in the Premier League on Saturday. While the Blues won at the Emirates Stadium during the Covid-19 pandemic, you have to go back 30 years for the first last time they beat the Gunners on their own turf with fans in the stands.

And, in truth, that miserable record did not look like ending from the moment Ezri Konsa bundled Mikel Arteta's men into a seventh-minute lead. To Everton's credit, they did respond well to the early setback, and while they did not trouble the hosts in the same way they had done in last season's corresponding fixture, they did have some opportunities.

But Arsenal were ultimately comfortable winners as they moved level on points with Manchester City at the top of the table. And here's what the national media made of it all.

Ed Aarons, writing for The Guardian, said: "The wait goes on for David Moyes. The 63-year-old Scot must have been hoping that on his 14th visit to this stadium as Everton’s manager, his luck would change. Yet from the moment Ezri Konsa slammed home his first goal for Arsenal as the Premier League champions rediscovered their knack of scoring from set-pieces, the writing was on the wall.

"While it took until midway through the second half for Gabriel Magalhaes to make sure of the victory, Arsenal were never going to let slip the chance of moving level on points at the top with Manchester City after their defeat by Aston Villa earlier in the day.

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"This was hardly a vintage performance from the clinical home side after a testing week but it did not need to be against opponents who offered precious little in attack, even if they defended for their lives at times.

"Having gone six matches without defeat to start the season, a second in succession will only add to Everton’s concerns after confirmation that the club’s American owners want out.

""It was always going to be hard after conceding the early goal," said Moyes, whose solitary victory at the Emirates was as West Ham’s manager in 2023. "I want us to challenge the top teams but it’s difficult when you see the strength of their bench."

Meanwhile, Alex Howell was the Emirates for BBC Sport, and he wrote, "Everton just cannot win at Arsenal in the league under David Moyes. In 13 previous attempts, they have lost 10 and drawn three.

"Their challenge arguably became harder for Everton's small squad when it was revealed that Jack Grealish was missing from the squad through illness. The visitors were well drilled though, and although they were second best for larger parts of the game, they did have opportunities to make this a harder afternoon for Arsenal.

"Tyrique George's effort was deflected wide in the first half while James Garner forced David Raya into a save but the best of the chances fell to Thierno Barry. Ben White flicked a header goalwards and Barry read the pass but could only poke the ball close to Raya, who saved well.

"Harrison Armstrong put in a solid performance in the middle of the pitch and is one of a few positives that Moyes can take from this defeat."

Gary Jacob, on duty for The Times, wrote: "Arsenal were set-piece kings last season and Mikel Arteta reasoned that execution and bad luck accounted for his side not having registered one before Saturday. After Ezri Konsa bundled over the line from a corner, Arteta rushed to hug Nicolas Jover, the set-piece coach. Jover earns a tidy bonus each time the team score from a dead-ball situation and he last collected something extra against Crystal Palace on the final day in May, which was their record 19th goal from a corner in the campaign.

"Gabriel recovered from twisting his leg to head in the second goal from Ben White’s cross after a cleared corner. Arsenal found it too easy to play through Everton in the first half and the visiting side’s attacking resources and depth were thin. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall came closest with a glancing header just wide late on.

"Arteta had examined the tapes and felt his side should have scored more from set-pieces this season, which was backed up by number crunchers who had Arsenal as one of the biggest underperformers relative to their opportunities in front of goal.

"The Arsenal manager thought their luck and precision would turn soon and he was right as they scored from a scrap at a third successive corner. Martin Odegaard’s delivery was glanced on by Gabriel, causing mayhem in the heavy rain. Jordan Pickford flapped and he and Harrison Armstrong got in each other’s way trying to clear. Konsa forced home his first goal for his new club.

""Some good bits but not enough," David Moyes, the Everton manager, said. "We’re lacking a little bit, which we know but in the main we’ve tried to give both games a good effort and we did."

Sam Dean, meanwhile, writing for The Telegraph, said: "The nature of the goals might give a misleading impression of Arsenal’s performance, though. This was not a gritty win. Arteta’s side produced some excellent passing moves and circulated the ball with menace throughout the game. They were also a little open at times, especially in the first half when Everton created a handful of decent chances.

"Thierno Barry missed the best of those opportunities, with the score at 1-0. It was the closest the visitors came to hurting the champions, aside from some of James Tarkowski’s full-blooded tackles. "I felt we didn’t really get to a level that was good enough to get near them," admitted David Moyes, the Everton manager.

"The victory, combined with Manchester City’s defeat earlier in the day, put Arsenal level on points at the top of the table. Aside from the extraordinary thrashing at Brighton, Arteta’s side have looked just as solid, if not more so, than last season. That speaks volumes of the quality in the team, of course, but also says plenty about the way Konsa has adjusted to his new surroundings. Thanks to him, William Saliba’s absence has not hurt at all."

And Isaan Khan, writing for the Daily Mail, said: "The Gunners were dominant. Whether a rain-sodden Arteta was trying to mount a defence against the recent ‘Unwatchables’ accusations after last weekend’s drab victory against Nottingham Forest, his team certainly made a mockery of that jibe.

"The north London club typically found themselves camped outside the opposition’s box, trying to force their way through a low block and peppered their visitors goal with 18 shots.

"The Toffees hadn’t surrendered, keen to mount counter-attacks through the pacey Thierno Barry but were overwhelmed by a relentless red-and-white wave. Gabriel, making his 200th appearance, typified Arsenal’s resilience. Having gone down in agony on 56 minutes after overstretching himself on a clearance, the medical team helped usher the Brazilian off the field. Cristhian Mosquera began to ready himself on the bench.

"Gabriel saw this and did some stretches on the touchline, making it known he would not be subbed off. Ten minutes after re-entering the pitch, he latched onto Ben White’s cross to double Arsenal’s lead with a powerful header."