Arsenal Player Ratings: 'Swagger' 9/10 but 6/10 'annoyed at himself' in scrappy Everton draw

Arsenal were forced to settle for a point in a Premier League outing that lacked class at times against Everton at Goodison Park.

Mikel Arteta will be relieved to see his squad come through injury free ahead of next week’s Champions League meeting with Real Madrid, with more minutes for Bukayo Saka from the bench. Nonetheless, his Gunners side will return to London on Saturday night disappointed to not have another three points on the board.

Leandro Trossard opened the scoring with a neat finish on the break in the first half but the visitors could have had more in the opening 45 minutes. His strike was cancelled out by Iliman Ndiaye from the penalty spot with Myles Lewis-Skelly the guilty party for the foul. Here’s how the Arsenal players rated.

Arsenal player ratings

GK - David Raya, 7

Went the wrong way for the penalty and one or two rushed balls out, but a confident outing overall. Plucked one corner from right under his crossbar with aplomb in the second half.

LB - Myles Lewis-Skelly, 8

Perhaps a little clumsy for the penalty but that was an unlucky decision - once given, it wasn’t going to be overturned. Flies forward with such enthusiasm and took his moments to come in from out wide to try and influence play.

CB - William Saliba, 8

His usual self, and needed to be today with Kiwior in beside him. Everton only netted through the penalty, so a good day overall for the centre-back pairing ahead of a big week.

CB - Jakub Kiwior, 8

A couple nervy moments early doors but got down brilliantly to block an Ndiaye shot after 25 minutes and was pretty much faultless after that. Gabriel did feel missed when defending and attacking set plays but Kiwior is not a bad deputy.

RB - Ben White, 6

Arteta did the right thing in taking him off with half an hour to play. Everton were beginning to find joy on that flank through Iliman Ndiaye with White beaten for pace. Not a bad showing overall but will need to step up his game if starting against Real Madrid in midweek.

CM - Jorginho, 6

Neat with his work in front of the back four but could perhaps have been more progressive with his passing, annoyed at himself in one moment for missing a flick-on. Looked a little off the pace early on but did grow into the game. Booked for protestations after the penalty.

CM - Declan Rice, 7

Had moments of his industrious best when driving forwards but they came and went today. A few of his set play deliveries drifted a little wide of the mark, but that’s only so noticeable as so many are struck with such high quality.

CM - Mike Merino, 6

Caught the eye most often for having his head bandaged and re-bandaged after picking up a knock on the noggin. Nodded over from a really decent headed opportunity with 89 minutes on the clock.

Former Liverpool man is ‘pantomime villain’ at Goodison Park

LW - Raheem Sterling, 7

Played the pantomime villain at Goodison Park given his history with Liverpool. Sterling did cause problems when running at the Toffees defence, setting up Trossard well, but can still frustrate. A bright opening 10 minutes showed promise but his influence drifted before his substitution at the break.

ST - Leandro Trossard, 9

A big shift today. Trossard had the Everton defence backing off time and time again as he ran at them. That’s when the Belgian is at his most dangerous with a swagger in his dribbling, taking his goal well. Could perhaps release the ball better sometimes but hard to ask much more of him today.

RW - Ethan Nwaneri, 5

Quiet today. Nothing wrong with his performance but the Gunners found all their threat going forwards through Sterling and Trossard. Came off at half time with Martinelli waiting in the wings.

SUB - Bukayo Saka, 7

Not the same sparkling cameo as we saw against Fulham but some more minutes under his belt. Still exciting as ever with the ball at his feet.

SUB - Gabriel Martinelli, 8

Drove Arsenal forwards well. Brought about a good save from Pickford late on when lashing a shot goalbound having cut in off the flank.

SUB - Jurrien Timber, 6

Brought on to help cut the influence of Ndiaye but struggled to do that just as much as White did. More comfortable after the Toffees man was taken off.

SUB - Martin Odegaard, 8

Arsenal are a better team with him on the pitch, there’s no doubt about that. In a fixture that had really lacked quality, some of the more fluid moments came thanks to Odegaard.

SUB - Kieran Tierney, 7

Some good moments in a brief cameo, cutting into the Everton box well with 10 minutes left to play and teeing up an Odegaard shot.

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