The Gunners, capitalising on Manchester City's stumble against Aston Villa, made no mistake in windswept, rain-lashed conditions at Emirates Stadium against an Everton side whose back-to-back defeats have seen their European ambitions slip further from view.

In a contest expected to be a cagey affair given David Moyes' tactical setup, Arsenal broke the deadlock early on courtesy of their first set-piece goal of the campaign. Crucially, it was their first since May, snapping a 13-game drought from dead-ball situations for Mikel Arteta's side.

Following a scramble inside the penalty box, the ball broke kindly for Ezri Konsa, who found room to steer his finish past Jordan Pickford.

The former Villa defender's strike settled the hosts, who dictated proceedings against Everton but were made to wait until after the interval to wrap up the points. Before then came the afternoon's biggest scare: Gabriel Magalhaes went down clutching his left knee after intercepting a pass. The Brazilian centre-back quickly raised his hand, sparking immediate concern for a squad already deprived of both William Saliba and Bukayo Saka.

Following treatment from the medical staff, and with Arteta having dispatched Piero Hincapie to warm up, Gabriel resolved to soldier on. It proved an inspired decision.

Just minutes after that injury scare, the defender marauded forward to meet a teasing cross from Ben White and seal all three points. The victory lifts Arsenal level with City on 21 points at the top of the Premier League, separated only by goal difference.

Since suffering defeat at Brighton on 19 September, Arsenal have collected five victories alongside a solitary draw against Bayern Munich. Next on the agenda for Arteta's men is an EFL Cup encounter against Fleetwood.