Analysis: Arsenal

Arsenal started in a 4-2-3-1 formation, switching to 4-4-1-1 in defence – Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Alex Iwobi dropping back alongside Aaron Ramsey and Granit Xhaka in midfield – with a medium block and zonal marking. The frontline of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Mesut Ozil had no need to press hard because Everton’s aim was always to play directly into their forwards in the opposition half.

Arsene Wenger formed two solid banks of four and successfully stopped the visitors from advancing too far up the pitch. The Arsenal midfielders pressed the player in possession, and the speed of their defenders in the tackle or at interceptions severely reduced Everton’s attacking options. The defence faced little threat, with Laurent Koscielny and Shkodran Mustafi ably supported by Hector Bellerin and Nacho Montreal at full-back.

Arsenal used combination play without taking too many risks, remaining careful not to lose the ball in dangerous areas while maintaining the attacking intent required to threaten the defence. The positioning of January signing Mkhitaryan in between the lines, along with his connection to hat-trick hero Aaron Ramsey, was the decisive factor in the home side’s dominant first-half display. Mkhitaryan was the standout player for the hosts, supplying his new teammates with opportunities to run in behind, or with through balls into promising positions in the penalty area.

In the final third, the Gunners tore the visitors’ defensive shape apart. Aubameyang easily found free spaces both on and off the ball, which caused the opposition centre-backs no end of trouble. Their tempo dropped once they were 4-0 up in the second half, but they never lost control of the match.

On the counter-attack, Arsenal looked for the runs of their quickest players, whether it was Mkhitaryan and Ozil with the ball or Aubameyang off the ball, with the aim of making the most of the many gaps in the dismal Everton defence.