Lucas Torreira makes first Premier League start, Richarlison returns for Everton

Theo Walcott, back at Arsenal for the first time since being sold to Everton in January, also drew a good block from the goalkeeper after being played in for a one-on-one, and Arsenal was arguably fortunate to still be level at halftime.

But, having escaped without punishment for their tepid first half, Arsenal seized the lead in the 56th minute.

The Frenchman looked like he was falling asleep on the bench during Arsenal’s 4-2 win over FC Vorskla in the Europa League on Thursday, but he was full of energy in the final third on Sunday as he guided Arsenal to a deserved win.

The Gunners were also indebted to goalkeeper Petr Cech, who enjoyed his first clean sheet of the season. “I think it’s important”.

“Petr, he has a lot of experience and quality”, Emery said. He has only started in the Chelsea game this season and saw this game as a huge opportunity to break into the starting 11.

“They lost against West Ham and they want to show us, to show their supporters, that they can win here”.

We don’t know now but it’s his knee.

Bernd Leno, Sokratis Papastathopoulos, Lucas Torreira, Stephan Lichtsteiner and Matteo Guendouzi will all be key in making that desire to improve defensively become a reality, as the Gunners simply can’t continue as they are.

“As an experienced player, you have to do your part”.

There is still plenty of room for improvement in Unai Emery’s Arsenal side but with Aubameyang and Lacazette, they have a killer instinct. It was a counterattack and, after one pass, it’s two against one or three against one.

“But we spoke in the dressing room to stop their attacking moments with better positioning on the pitch and also individually about each other helping more in the second half”. “I think I did a good job with the ball, with the passing”.

Everton, without a win in their last 25 visits to Arsenal, could consider themselves unlucky, but their first half profligacy proved decisive.

Their manager Marco Silva was frustrated with his side’s failure to take their chances and equally angry about Aubameyang’s offside goal.

“It’s our disappointment. Little by little, we are conceding a few chances to the opposition, the same like in Newcastle”, Emery said.

Unlike his predecessor Arsene Wenger, often content to stick with the tried and tested even amid a poor run, the ex-Paris Saint-Germain boss believes the more players in form – and in the frame to start – the better.

“The goal was not a clear kill [of the game] because we kept trying but, of course, it was really hard for us”.