Arsenal steal undeserved win after clear handball

Arsenal 2 - 1 Everton

Everton end their 2023-24 Premier League season against Arsenal, who still have a chance to take the title off Manchester City if West Ham can get a result against them.

Premier League CEO Richard Masters is in attendance and set to attract considerable attention from the cadre of highly vocal travelling Bues who have so faithfully followed the team that has gone through so much this season – still in a position to affect what happens on the final day of the season.

Some players have already made their final appearances for the Blues with Harrison and Danjuma ending their loan spells, Gomes and Lonergan are not involved either with their contracts coming to an end.

Sean Dyche names a strong line-up from his remaining players, unchanged from the one that started last weekend against Sheffield Utd but names Billy Crellin as a second goalkeeper on the bench alongside Virginia.

Arsenal kicked off and tried to play up with Havertz lashing a shot well wide. Young stopped the next attack but Calvert-Lewin could not get the ball to stick and the Arsenal siege resumed, Tomiyasu denied by Gueye. Arsenal won a corner and Tomiyasu missed a sitter at the far post. 

Everton finally got forward after a tough 5 minutes and played the ball around well enough, winning a corner themselves but could not get a good head on McNeil's looping ball. Branthwaite dealt well with a ball over the top as Arsenal lost some of their early drive. 

Everton tried to play keep-ball but Gana gave it away and Arsenal came forward, Onana making a great tackle but Branthwaite making an error that let Rice strike weakly at goal, Pickford down to save. 

Everton were tested again at the far post, conceding a corner that eventually came back in again to that far post, Havertz crowded out by three Blues defenders. 

Martinelli broke through and nutmegged Branthwaite before firing a low shot that forced a tremendous one-handed save by Pickford. Calvert-Lewin was fouled high up the pitch but put his free-kick into the Arsenal wall. 

Everton played some more nice football around the Arsenal box with the Everton fans in the corner giving Olés to every pass until Gana went down, after a disgusting tackle from behind by Havertz that went straight through him but was not punished. 

Doucoure had to give up another corner to Arsenal, but an Arsenal fou was called as Calvert-Lewin headed it clear.  Another Arsenal attack was easily stalled by Onana heading a cross back to Pickford. 

Everton and their fans were enjoying the lack of any decent press from Arsenal as they racked up completed passes until Onana gave it away. The Arsenal break needed to be halted, and was. But Onana twisted his ankle as he slipped with the ball and he needed treatment as the players took a drinks break. 

Arsenal resumed their probing play but Everton forced a turnover and Calvert-Lewin found himself with just one defender to beat, he hit the post and then was falling backwards as he fired weakly into the side netting! 

At the other end, somewhat desperate defending was required with key blocks from Gana and Branthwaite. Arsenal built again,, but slowly, with Everton maintaining good defensive shape to stall the Tunners, a brilliant challenge by Tarkowski, flooring Martinelli as he cleared the ball.

McNeil went on a fine run after having his shirt tugged, and Thomas Partey was booked for bringing him down. Gana smacked it off Rice's head and well beyond a static Raya to give Everton a very well-deserved lead after some excellent play all over the pitch.

Rice poked Tarkowski in the eye on an aerial challenge.  But the Gunners got their act together coming forward this time with a cutback that Tomiyasu buried. 

A few delays meant 7 minutes were added before the break. some spirited play saw Gana fouled about 40 yards out Raya went down as it was launched to the far post and Oliver blew for a foul. Arsenal attacked again, Partey firing over, before the break. 

Onana restarted the game and Pickford hoofed it up to Raya. Martinelli crossed in for Havertz to head wide. Tarkowski was booked for a tackle on Havertz, who then tried but failed to beat Branthwaite. 

Gabriel and Doucoure got in a tangle and the Everton player was booked. Everton had another spell of decent passing until Gabriel went down again, to be replaced by Zinchenko.

Branthwaite anticipated and cleared an excellent cross into the danger area. Calvert-Lewin cantered forward and cut inside, shooting well to the top corner but Raya was across to snatch it out of the air.  

At the other end, a bobbling ball went behind off Pickford's arm. Arsenal were gifted a second corner that Rice curled over the angle. A good cross in by Trossard came off Havertz's shoulder and hit the post.

Rice was yellow-carded when he dived in on Tarkowski.  Ødegaard got in and looked certain to score but Pickford stopped it and Branthwaite cleared it, the corner defended clear with McNeil fouled from behind by Timber. In the next Arsenal attack, Smith-Rowe fired over as Chermiti replaced Calvert-Lewin.

Everton played a nice ball down the wing but Chermiti could not keep hold of it. Chermiti then had a chance to break but was quickly closed down by two Arsenal defenders. 

Ødegaard was caught by McNeil but the free-kick was repelled. Smith-Rowe shot into the ground and it bounced up off the bar. Pickford booked for dallying on the goal-kick. 

Everton saw a chance for a break, 4 on 2, but Doucoure messed it up completely. Branthwaite did not get a shout from Pickford and headed behind, Jesus's goalbound shot headed behind again by Branthwaite as the frustrated Gunners searched for a winning goal. 

Another clever cross from Martinelli was met by Havertz but headed well over. Everton tried to play clever, passing it around but a dreadful pass was picked off and Havertz was finally able to get a scrappy winning goal.

But VAR spotted a handball when Jesus intercepted Young's terrible pass with his elbow by his side and incredibly the goal was given! Surely a stonewall handball offence on a goalscoring move? 

And so the game ended on something of a sour note for the Blues with a very dubious goal not ruled out after Oliver overruled VAR. 

Arsenal:  Raya; White (69' Timber), Saliba, Gabriel (59' Zinchenko), Tomiyasu; Partey [Y:39'] (69' Smith-Rowe), Ødegaard, Rice; Trossard (78' Jesus), Havertz [Y:63'], Martinelli.

Subs not Used: Ramsdale, Kiwior, Jorginho, Vieira, Nketiah.

Everton:  Pickford [Y:84'], Coleman, Tarkowski [Y:50'], Branthwaite, Young, Gana, Onana, Doucoure (90+1' Beto), Garner, McNeil, Calvert-Lewin (74' Chermiti).

Subs not Used: Virginia, Crellin, Keane, Godfrey, Warrington, Hunt, Dobbin.

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