Match Report

Everton conceded five goals in their final match of the season for the second year running as an under-strength side was heavily beaten by Arsenal, with familiar set-piece failings ultimately costing them.

Alex Iwobi conceded a penalty for handball after 26 minutes which allowed Gabriel Martinelli to open the scoring and Eddie Nketiah doubled the Gunners' lead with a fairly simple header off a corner on the half-hour mark.

Donny van de Beek's strike in first-half stoppage time gave the Blues hope but Arsenal ran away with it in the second period and ended up winning 5-1.

The result was largely academic and the travelling fans were in jubilant mood following the dramatic events on Thursday evening when Everton overcame a 2-0 deficit at the break to come back to win for the first time in the Premier League era.

Some players, like Richarlison, were carrying knocks and sat this one out while others, like Abdoulaye Doucouré started at the Emirates despite being fatigued from the Palace game and the celebrations afterwards. Still others, like Tom Davies, Jonjoe Kenny and Asmir Begovic made rare starts but failed to impress on an occasion where they could have pressed their claims for next season while Dele Alli had some promising moments on what was his full debut.

Kenny had been deployed on the left of a back five comprising Michael Keane, Mason Holgate, Jarrad Branthwaite and Alex Iwobi while Demarai Gray came into the team to play in a forward three with Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Dele.

Arsenal started strongly, pinning the Toffees into their own half and Begovic needed to be alert to block from close range after Granit Xhaka had floated the ball over the for Nuno Tavares and Keane had knocked the subsequent cross straight to Martin Odegaard but his shot was kicked away.

A sign of things to come, the resulting corner wasn't adequately dealt with until Davies hooked it away and it wasn't until the 19th minute that the visitors forced Aaron Ramsdale into action. Gray latched onto an excellent flick-on from Dele and hammered a half-volley goal-wards but it was, perhaps, too accurate and the keeper beat it away.

Arsenal were handed the chance to open the scoring mid-way through the half, however, when Cedric Souares's cross was headed away by Iwobi only as far as Martinelli and when the Brazilian rattled a shot back on goal, the Nigerian stopped it with his arm.

It took a VAR check and a review of the pitch-side monitor by referee Andre Marriner but the Gunners were eventually awarded the spot-kick which Martinelli confidently despatched to make it 1-0.

And it was 2-0 shortly afterwards when the hosts won a corner on the right when the ball failed to cross the line as Dele tried to shepherd it out and Bukayo Saka whipped the dead ball in for Martinelli to flick on and Nketiah to stoop and guide into the far corner with his head.

Everton couldn't contain Arsenal and when Branthwaite's short pass was easily picked off by Odegaard and he fed Saka, the ball somehow stayed out as Martinelli pounced on a rebound off Holgate but the defender atoned for his error by poking it behind with his toe.

A decent Everton move involving Dele and Iwobi ended with Gray skying his shot from inside the box while, at the other end, Branthwaite did enough to prompt Saka to side-foot a shot wide after he had raced onto another ball over the top.

The Blues had grown into the game as the half wore and they established a foothold in the context at the end of the first half when Iwobi slipped a ball down the channel to Calvert-Lewin whose square ball across the box was seized upon by Van de Beek, on for Doucouré, and the Dutchman stroked it home.

The second half was 10 minutes old when Nketiah anticipated Branthwaite's header and ultimately won a corner off Keane and when the set-piece was rolled out to a completely unmarked Cedric, he swept it high into the net with Begovic completely unsighted to make it 3-1.

Saka went close again after Odegaard had sent him away behind Branthwaite but the young defender just leaned into him again and got enough on the ball to deflect the shot behind.

The fourth goal wasn't long in coming and it came following yet another corner. Cedric collected the loose ball off a clearing header and his deflected, scuff-shot fell into Gabriel's path and the defender smacked it in off Begovic who couldn't keep it out.

Lakonga came on for Arsenal and forced a decent near-post save from Begovic that yielded a corner that the Bosnian flapped behind for another dead-ball situation on the other side but this one was curled into the keeper's arms.

The Gunners' fifth did arrive, however, nine minutes from time when Nicolas Pepe picked up Branthwaite's looping header and drove to the byline before finding Odegaard just outside the box. The Norwegian feinted his way past Everton's teenage substitute, Isaac Price, and place a low shot inside the far post.

Alexandre Lacazette tried for a sixth but rapped his shot wide and Price had an ambitious attempt at a volley off Calvert-Lewin's chipped cross but, from the away fans' perspective the closing stages were dominated by events elsewhere as Manchester City were coming back from 2-0 down to lead Aston Villa on their way to their latest Premier League title at the expense of Liverpool.

And so ended a frustrating, stressful, emotional but ultimately relief-inducing season that Evertonians will hope won't be repeated for a very long time. Years of costly mistakes and the lack of a clear-eyed strategy and vision for the playing side of the club nearly cost Everton their place among the elite.

Not all of the players who came across with Frank Lampard to the away section to thank the fans for their unprecedented levels of support will be around for the reconstruction of the squad that needs to be undertaken and changes will be demanded at higher levels of the organisation as well.

The Blues found collective strength in adversity this season; now the warnings from 2021-22 must be heeded.

Lyndon Lloyd

Matchday Updates

Everton reverted to type in the final match of a mostly tortuous Premier League campaign knowing they were safe from relegation, with a dreadful display that showed little resistance at Arsenal.

There was a first start for Dele Alli and Tom Davies returned following more than 6 months on the sidelines, as Frank Lampard makes six changes.

Asmir Begovic begins the game in goal and captains the team. Demarai Gray is in the starting XI. So are Jonjoe Kenny and Jarrad Branthwaite, who has completed his 1-game suspension. Rondon was suspended for 3 games and is still out.

Arsenal kicked off and won an early free-kick that was eventually crossed in over everyone. Dele Alli tried to relieve the early pressure but was blocked and Arsenal resumed their attack, winning the first corner.

Everton were under all sorts of pressure, Keane making a vital block for another corner, cleared after a pinball session, Dele Alli getting roundly booed by the nasty Gooners.

A forward ball for Everton gave Calvert-Lewin something to chase but it was overhit. More Arsenal attacking play was repelled, Kenny getting in a good tackle. But the pressure was relentless, Martinelli getting off a lethal shot that Begovic did very well to bat away.

Everton finally got into the Arsenal end, winning a throw-in. Davies tried to play forward to Calvert-Lewin but it was easily cut out. But Calvert-Lewin brought down a long Begovic free-kick, but Everton could not retain possession. Doucouré gave away a free-kick that Branthwaite watched all the way and headed behind. The corner was cleared.

Nketiah was the next to shoot but way high over the Everton goal. From the restart, Everton tried to press forward in midfield Gray getting a shot in on Ramsdale when perhaps he should have chipped the arsenal keeper, who was way off his line. Gray's corner was delivered in well but Calvert-Lewin could not attack it properly.

Iwobi cleared the ball to Martinelli then blocked a shot with his upper arm, right on the tee-shirt line and the VAR eventually advised Marriner to take a look... finally giving the penalty a long time later. Martinelli converted.

Begovic then got pressed by Nketiah, giving up corner that Everton could not clear. Davies and Dele stupidly waited for a ball to role out behind and Arsenal forced the corner, Nketiah scoring from it, Everton defence all at sea.

A sweeping Arsenal attack saw them dance around Branthwaite and almost scored the third before Holgate poked it behind for another corner. The relentless pressure continued, forcing another corner. Frank Lampard decided to drag off Doucouré and bring on Donny van de Beek.

Everton immediately constructed a decent attack, Gray again firing over when he really should have got it on target at least. Arsenal attacked again Begovic pushing the ball off Nketiah's head.

Everton caused some trouble in the Arsenal area, Calvert-Lewin and Dele Alli messing it up before Gray failed to strike. Gray then went down a bit too easily and the VAR wasn't impressed. Arsenal gOt forward again and Saka then almost beat Branthwaite but shot wide. Xhaka then forced another save from Begovic.

Everton forced their way out and scored a nice simple goal through Van de Beek tapping home a nice cross from Calvert-Lewin.

Everton started the second half where they left off, almost forcing the ball past Ramsdale, Calvert-Lewin then winning a dangerous free-kick from which Gray tried to reprise Thursday's Calvert-Lewin goal, winning a corner that was cleared.

But the home side reasserted their superiority, putting in a threatening cross before too easily denying a counter by Gray, who should have laid the ball off earlier. Van de Beek and Dele Alli then showed they weren't really on the same wavelength.

Iwobi did well to stop an attack but Gray lost the ball too easily and Tavarz was in again, shooting high over the Everton goal. Branthwaite's attempt to clear was not good enough and Arsenal won another corner that Cedric hammered in from just inside the area, completely unmarked.

Xhaka skipped past Branthwaite and ran in on goal but Branthwaite recovered well enough to block at the expense of a corner which was horribly defended, allowing Gabriel to get through and poke a shot that Begovic pushed onto the post but it bounced back across the line for a 4th Arsenal goal.

Gordon replaced the hapless Dele Alli, who had done little to suggest that he had really turned some corner on Thursday night. Holgate needed to be sharp to dispossess Lacazette who had just replace Nketiah, at the expense of yet another corner.

Davies tried to advance with the ball and had to evade a tackle but was deemed to have dived: yellow card! Arsenal sliced through again, Lakonga getting in a good shot that Holgate did well to take the power out of, Begovic saving at the near post for yet another corner. This time, Begovic gathered.

Everton tried a rare venture forward but the final ball to Calvert-Lewin was overhit. Isaac Price was granted his senior debut in place of Tom Davies, as Arsenal kept surging forward through the bewildered Everton defenders.

Odegaard was next and he just skipped round Price and passed the ball through everyone into the far corner of Everton's battered goal. Target practice continued for Lacazette firing wide again.

Gray was fouled by Tavares for another free-kick, but it would not fall for Calvert-Lewin, who had not seen much of the ball. Everton fashioned another attack but Iwobi wanted too much time at the far post and was closed down.

Calvert-Lewin got a good ball across to Price but the poor lad had no idea how to control the ball at the far post. The game and Everton's atrocious season was finally brought to an end in fitting fashion, a 5-goal humbling at Arsenal.

Kick-off: 4pm, Sunday 22 May 2022

Arsenal: Ramsdale, Soares, Holding, Gabriel, Tavares, Elneny, Xhaka (63' Lokonga), Saka (78' Pépé), Odegaard, Martinelli, Nketiah (66' Lacazette).
Subs not Used: Leno, White, Smith Rowe, Oulad M'hand, Swanson, Patino.

Everton: Begovic, Iwobi, Holgate, Keane, Branthwaite, Kenny, Davies [Y:69'] (78' Price), Doucoure (37' Van de Beek), Gray, Dele Alli (68' Gordon), Calvert-Lewin.
Subs not Used: Lonergan, Mykolenko, Tosun, Coleman, Dobbin, Welch.

Referee: Andre Marriner

VAR:Lee Mason

Michael Kenrick

Match Preview

Everton go into the final match of a mostly tortuous Premier League campaign against Arsenal knowing they are safe from relegation while Leeds and Burnley will battle it out to see which of those clubs remains in the top flight for next season.

Under Frank Lampard's stewardshi,p and thanks to remarkable support from the club's fans, the Blues finally dragged themselves clear of the drop zone with one match to spare and they can relax to a degree at The Emirates following the emotion of Thursday's dramatic win over Crystal Palace.

The manager could use the opportunity to ring some changes, although injuries in defence, where Yerry Mina remains sidelined and Ben Godfrey might not be risked, and in midfield, where Allan and Fabian Delph are likely to be absent, mean his options are limited.

Dele Alli could make his first start since joining the club on transfer deadline day at the end of January following his impressive second-half display against Palace and the likes of Donny van de Beek and Anwar El Ghazi might be hoping to get a look-in after barely featuring since they arrived on loan at the same time.

Arsenal need a victory and for Tottenham to fail to beat Norwich at Carrow Road if they are to secure their dream of qualifying for the Champions League, so there is plenty riding on the match for the home side.

For the Blues, memories of the last time they travelled to Arsenal at the end of the season with nothing to play for, and the resulting 7-0 defeat, loom large.

But this is a different, less potent Arsenal outfit and there is the prospect that an Everton side free of concern and able to play with a bit of freedom could spoil the North Londoners' final day.

Kick-off: 4pm, Sunday 22 May 2022

Referee: Andre Marriner
VAR:Lee Mason

Last Time: Arsenal 0 - 1 Everton

Predicted Line-up: Pickford, Kenny, Keane, Holgate, Mykolenko, Van de Beek, Doucouré, Iwobi, Gordon, Richarlison Dele, Calvert-Lewin

Lyndon Lloyd

^* Unfortunately, we cannot control other sites' content policies and therefore cannot guarantee that links to external reports will remain active.