Everton 2 - 2 Arsenal - Match Review

Everton would once again be left to rue a lazy second half showing as they surrendered a two-goal lead at Goodison Park.

Seamus Coleman and Steven Naismith had fired Everton in to a comfortable first half lead before Aaron Ramsey and Olivier Giroud levelled the scores late on to earn Arsenal an unlikely point.

It would be a disappointing start for Everton as they lost Steven Pienaar to injury after just ten minutes, with Leon Osman replacing the South African. The visitors had started the brighter and a poor clearance from Coleman gave Alex Oxlade Chamberlain the chance to shoot from range, but the Englishman steered his shot wide of the post.

Everton would open the scoring though, and it was the returning Coleman to get it. A short free kick to Leighton Baines saw him pull back to Gareth Barry, who picked out Coleman at the back post to head comfortably past Wojciech Szczęsny from Everton's first shot on target. It was nearly doubled soon afterwards, as a head on from Steven Naismith found Kevin Mirallas running into the box, but he slipped and finished poorly.

Arsenal were attacking strongly, but the home side were defending superbly, a contrast to the week before a Leicester with James McCarthy particularly impressive.  Despite the visitors being full of inventiveness, their chances were limited and Everton soon capitalized to double their lead.

A quick clearance found Romelu Lukaku, who rolled Per Mertesacker and saw off another before slipping in Naismith, who finished comfortably past Szczęsny to double his tally for the season. Replays would show that the Gunners were unlucky though, with the Scot offside before finishing. Small margins and luck was with the Blues, who lead two nil at half time.

Arsenal introduced Olivier Giroud at the break, and he nearly made an immediate impact, firing over after Oxlade-Chamberlain lifted a ball over the top. The next chance would fall to the Frenchman in the 66^th minute, as he turned his marker and fired just wide of the post. It was Giroud again to come close, as a lucky bounce found him in the box and he forced a save from Tim Howard, his first of the afternoon.

With 17 minutes remaining, Everton made their second change, introducing Aiden McGeady for a tiring but improved Lukaku. Arsenal would have one back with seven minutes remaining though, Santi Cazorla firing a ball across the box to find Aaron Ramsey waiting to tap home. Martinez sensed danger and brought on Christian Atsu, for his home debut, in place of Mirallas in a bold attacking move.

Arsenal would soon level to punish Everton for dropping the pace. A poor cross from Ramsey found Nacho Monreal out wide and the Spaniard whipped in a wicked cross to Giroud, who had managed to get ahead of Sylvain Distin and head past Howard, with both defenders culpable once more.

A single point in the end for Everton, but disappointment all round as they once again give away three points following a poor second half display.