Arsenal secured a deserved 2-0 win over their visitors Everton on Saturday, in the eighth round of the Premier League, benefiting from Manchester City's defeat to Aston Villa.
The Gunners came flying out at the Emirates and found their breakthrough early. In the seventh minute a corner caused chaos inside Everton's box, Jordan Pickford failed to deal with the ball, and it dropped to Ezri Konsa, who smashed it home for his first goal in an Arsenal shirt.
That strike ended a run of 13 matches across all competitions without an Arsenal goal from a set piece, penalties aside. It also brought an end to Everton's record of not conceding from corners this season.
Everton tried to hit back quickly. James Garner tested David Raya with a shot that forced a save, and Vitaliy Mykolenko then delivered a cross that nearly unsettled the hosts' defence.
Arsenal kept the pressure on, feeding off the movement of Eberechi Eze, Martin Odegaard and Noni Madueke. In the 17th minute Everton came close to levelling when Tyler Dibling reached the ball on the left and got past Ben White before shooting, but the defender recovered to turn it behind for a corner.
A minute later the hosts almost paid for their own confusion. Raya could not deal with an Everton corner, but Gabriel Magalhaes hacked the ball clear before it crossed the line.
On they went in search of a second. Eze dragged a shot past the post in the 24th minute, then Madueke wasted another opening four minutes later when his effort flashed wide.
Pickford saved from Declan Rice in the 35th minute, and Everton's defence blocked a Mikel Merino shot five minutes after that, before Madueke sent another ball skidding close to the post.
Everton nearly snatched a leveller right before the break. In the 44th minute Ben White botched a pass back to Raya, leaving Thierno Barry one-on-one with the goalkeeper, but Raya spread himself quickly to deny him.
Arsenal answered through a Merino header from a Rice set piece, but it sailed over the crossbar.
So the first half closed with Arsenal 1-0 up despite a flood of chances. They fired off 13 shots, only two on target, while Everton came close to punishing those defensive lapses for an equaliser.
