Premier League

EVERTON 1 (Tarkowski, 60)
ARSENAL 0

MIKEL Arteta met Arsenal’s disappointing, yet predictable, defeat at Goodison Park this afternoon (Saturday) with affection instead of anger, insisting “This is the moment I love my players more”.

A resurgent Everton earned a deserved 1-0 victory courtesy of James Tarkowski’s powerful header on the hour mark – handing manager Sean Dyche a dream start in his new job.

The Toffees had enjoyed the better of the chances in the opening exchanges, with striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin twice coming within a whisker of giving the home side the lead.

Despite not being at their best, Arsenal created some good chances too, the best of which saw Conor Coady produce a goal-line clearance to deny Bukayo Saka in the first half. January signing Leandro Trossard also forced Jordan Pickford into a sharp save late on.

The result saw Arsenal continue their winless streak at Goodison Park, with Everton now having won four and drawn one of the last five meetings at their home ground.

Far from criticising his players, however, Arteta seemed ready to hand out the hugs as he quickly turned his attention towards Brentford’s visit to the Emirates Stadium this Saturday.

“I want the team to know how much I love them. I love them much more now than three hours ago, a week ago, a month ago, three months ago,” said the Arsenal boss. “It’s very easy to be next to the players when they are winning and performing. This is the moment I love my players more, the staff more and now we stick together.

“This journey is going to be difficult and challenging, and there’s going to be bigger stones in the middle that we’re going to have to overcome. And now we’re going to prepare really well in the week to get to Saturday in the right emotional level and right spirit to be perfect.”

Quizzed on how his players will respond to only their second Premier League defeat of the season, Arteta added: “The best way to do it is to understand who we are, why we’ve gotten to where we are and then start to do all the basic things right, play the way we want to play, and how to do it better individually and collectively. Then you’ll earn the right to win games.”

Everton: Pickford, Coleman, Coady, Tarkowski, Mykolenko, McNeil, Doucoure, Gueye, Onana, Iwobi, Calvert-Lewin (Maupay, 62)
Substitutes not used: Begovic, Holgate, Gray, Mina, Godfrey, Davies, Vinagre, Simms

Arsenal: Ramsdale, White (Tomiyasu, 85), Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko, Partey (Jorginho, 59), Odegaard (Vieira, 77), Xhaka, Saka, Nketiah, Martinelli (Trossard, 59)
Substitutes not used: Turner, Tierney, Kiwior, Holding, Cozier-Duberry