The Toffees go toe to toe with The Gunners at Hill Dickinson Stadium in what could prove to be a crucial match in this year’s title race, with Arsenal edging City by just 2 points.
By Joseph Armstrong – Gardner
Image Credit: Getty Images
Arsenal left it late to scrape past Wolverhampton Wanderers, while David Moyes’ men fell at the hands of the Club World Cup winners, Chelsea last Premier League gameweek.
Image Credit: Getty Images
Formerly a resolute Arsenal side, they have now kept just one clean sheet in their last six Premier League games, and they face Everton, having conceded the first goal in each of their last three away matches in the league.
Successfully beating Everton would guarantee Arsenal’s position at the summit of the league table, but historically, that has been an unlucky omen for the visitors, as in each of the last four Premier League campaigns, they have been first on December 25th and failed to be crowned Premier League champions.
Image Credit: Getty Images
Christmas Spirit is sky high for the blue half of Merseyside, as if results go Everton’s way this weekend, there is a minuscule chance they could find themselves within the Premier League’s top five, in the race for European football next season.
The ninth-placed Toffees are trailing by just 2 points to Crystal Palace, Sunderland, Manchester United, and Liverpool after a respectable previous six games consisting of four victories and two defeats; however, one of those losses was received last Saturday.
The Hill Dickinson Stadium has lost its impenetrable feel since Everton went unbeaten in their first five home games of 2025/2026. Since then, they have suffered defeat twice in their last four home matches.
Out of the six losses in the league that Moyes’ men have endured this campaign, five of them have come against teams competing in the Champions League, highlighting the disparity between themselves and Europe’s superior clubs.
On a positive note for the Toffees, Everton held Arsenal to two draws last season and have only been defeated by the Gunners in the Premier League just once in their last seven home matches against them, although the electric Goodison Park atmosphere is no longer applicable.
Everton Premier League form:
- W
- W
- L
- W
- W
- L
Arsenal Premier League form:
- D
- W
- D
- W
- L
- W
Players out of contention for Arsenal: Ben White (Hamstring), Cristhian Mosquera (Ankle), Gabriel Magalhaes (Thigh), Kai Havertz (Knee), and Max Dowman (Ankle)
Potential returning players for Arsenal: Riccardo Calafiori, Martin Odegaard, and Leandro Trossard
Players out of contention for Everton: Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (Hamstring), Iliman Ndiaye, and Idrissa Gueye (Africa Cup of Nations duty), Jarrad Branthwaite (Thigh), and Seamus Coleman (Hamstring)
Potential returning player for Everton: Merlin Rohl
Everton’s predicted starting lineup:
Pickford; O’Brien, Keane, Tarkowski, Mykolenko; Garner, Iroegbunam; Dibling, Alcaraz, Grealish; Barry
Arsenal’s predicted starting lineup:
Raya; Timber, Saliba, Hincapie, Calafiori; Odegaard, Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Gyokeres, Trossard
Match Prediction: Everton 1 – 2 Arsenal
Considering Everton is coming into the game with a significantly depleted squad to a larger extent than Arsenal, they should have small hopes of winning this game against a fully rested Arsenal team looking to correct last weekend’s near-disaster result at home to Wolves.