Mikel Arteta can toast his sixth anniversary as Arsenal manager from the Premier League summit and with the Christmas No 1 spot secured once again. Behind the headline positivity, however, must be a realisation that more convincing performances are required to hold on until the final reckoning.
Viktor Gyökeres’ emphatic first-half penalty sealed a slender yet merited win over an Everton team missing several important components. Arsenal were more efficient than impressive and rarely troubled throughout a scrappy contest. But this was a test of title-winning character as much as quality after three away games without a win in the league and having lost top spot for the first time since mid-October before kick-off. In that respect Arteta can be encouraged by a reaction that ensured Manchester City’s stay in first place would be brief and Arsenal would be top at Christmas for the third time in four years.
