Gabriel Martinelli was the standout performer as Arsenal secured a commanding 4-0 victory over struggling Everton on Wednesday, moving five points clear at the top of the Premier League. Bukayo Saka broke through Everton’s stubborn defense late in the first half, and Brazilian forward Martinelli quickly doubled Arsenal’s lead at the Emirates Stadium. Martin Odegaard added the third goal, and Martinelli capped off the evening with a second goal, marking Arsenal’s biggest win since October. This match could prove to be a significant moment in their pursuit of the title.
For Mikel Arteta’s side, it was crucial to win their game in hand against second-placed Manchester City as the title race intensifies. With 13 matches remaining, this victory keeps Arsenal in a strong position to claim the title for the first time since Arsene Wenger’s ‘Invincibles’ season in 2003-04. After a challenging period that included three league games without a win, culminating in a 3-1 defeat to City that saw them lose the top spot, Arsenal has bounced back impressively. Their recent form, featuring three consecutive wins since the City loss, has brought them to 60 points—tying their highest total after 25 Premier League matches, matching both the 2003-04 and 2007-08 campaigns.
Sean Dyche began his tenure at Everton with a surprising 1-0 victory over Arsenal at Goodison Park on February 4. However, since then, Everton has struggled, recording three losses and only one win, leaving them in the relegation zone. They have played one more game than the teams around them and remain the lowest scorers in the league this season, with just 17 goals. Unless Dyche can address these issues, Everton faces the serious threat of relegation for the first time since 1954.
Arteta was rewarded for maintaining the same lineup that secured a 1-0 win at Leicester, with Leandro Trossard again starting in attack instead of Eddie Nketiah. Jorginho nearly caught Everton off guard with a shot from just inside the area after a short corner. In a rare moment of pressure from Everton, Aaron Ramsdale had to make two saves from Neal Maupay, but neither shot posed a significant threat. Arteta had previously stated that there were no issues between Gabriel and William Saliba, despite a heated exchange on the pitch after the Leicester match. Gabriel demonstrated his focus by executing a perfectly timed block to deny Maupay a shot.
Everton’s defense held firm until the 40th minute when Saka opened the scoring. Oleksandr Zinchenko’s pass found Saka in the area, and the 21-year-old held off Vitaliy Mykolenko before unleashing a powerful strike into the top corner for his 11th goal of the season. Maupay nearly responded immediately with a long-range effort that narrowly missed the target. However, Arsenal quickly regained control, and Martinelli extended their lead during first-half stoppage time. Saka intercepted a pass from Idrissa Gueye and set up Martinelli, who finished from close range after a VAR check confirmed he was onside.
Odegaard sealed the victory in the 71st minute with a deflected strike from Trossard’s cross, beating Jordan Pickford. The scoring was not finished yet, as Martinelli added his second goal in the 80th minute, tapping in a cutback from Nketiah at the near post.
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