Arsenal eager to keep table-topping spot after Everton trip.

Everton vs. Arsenal kicks off at 20:00 [GMT] on Saturday, December 20, at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Everton are winless in their last five league games against the Gunners, drawing two and losing three, after having won four of the previous five encounters. This fixture has also developed a habit of producing stalemates. Both league meetings last season ended in draws, and a third consecutive draw would mirror a run last seen between 2012 and 2013. Notably, current Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta played the full 90 minutes in all three of those games, adding a personal subplot to this potential sequence. However, Everton’s struggles against elite opposition this season are stark. All five of their defeats have come against teams competing in the UEFA Champions League, including both of their home losses. David Moyes’ side have found it difficult to contain high-level attacking units, a challenge that resurfaces here against one of the league’s most defensively solid teams. Nevertheless, bouncing back to winning ways [WLWWL] remains the ultimate objective for this clash against the Gunners. A 4—2—3—1 formation with Thierno Barry in attack is expected here. Dwight McNeil could reach a personal milestone with his 100th Premier League appearance for the club should he feature.

For table-topping Arsenal [WDWLW], the stakes are clear. Victory would see them top the Premier League table at Christmas for the third time in the last four seasons—a sharp contrast to the club’s early Premier League history, when they achieved that feat just twice in the first 30 campaigns. Yet history also offers a note of caution: on each of the four previous occasions they’ve topped the table at this stage, Arsenal went on to finish either second or third. Despite boasting the Premier League’s best defensive record overall, Arsenal have shown vulnerability on the road early in matches. They have conceded the opening goal in five of their last seven away games, including each of the last three. While they rarely collapse — conceding the fewest goals and second-half goals in the league — 40% of the goals they have allowed have come in the final 10 minutes, the highest share of any side. Leandro Trossard has emerged as a key figure in this fixture. He has scored Arsenal’s only two away goals at Everton over the last two seasons and has been directly involved in nine goals across his last nine away league appearances. Another decisive contribution would place him in rare company at the club. A 4—2—3—1 formation with Viktor Gyökeres in attack is expected against Everton.