JAKARTA - Arsenal will travel to Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday, December 20 local time to face Everton in the Premier League, a game full of meaning for Mikel Arteta. The former Everton midfielder is returning to his old club for the first time as the visiting team manager at the new home of The Toffees, with a clear mission: to keep the top position in the standings before Christmas.
Arsenal came with the status of league leader, even though their performance last week was far from convincing. Hosting Wolverhampton Wanderers who were almost sinking, The Gunners actually looked awkward and almost slipped. Wolves were on the verge of stealing a point through Tolu Arokodare's goal, before a brutal misfortune hit them when Yerson Mosquera scored a suicide goal in the final minute of injury time. The score of 2-1 for Arsenal was recorded on the board, but Arteta's expression reflected more relief than joy.
The victory keeps Arsenal two points ahead of Manchester City at the top of the table. However, there are alarms starting to sound. Arsenal has only recorded one clean sheet in the last six Premier League games and has always conceded first in the last three away games. The busy winter schedule seems to be starting to erode the solidity that was previously their hallmark.
A win at Merseyside will ensure Arsenal remain top of the table at Christmas. Historically, it's been a bad omen for the Gunners. In the four Premier League seasons when Arsenal have led the table on December 25, none have ended in a title. Statistics that don't affect the table, but enough to unsettle the mind.
Everton came in with a mood that was not entirely gloomy. Despite losing 0-2 to Chelsea last week, David Moyes' team still sits in ninth place and is only two points behind the top six teams chasing the European ticket. Four wins from the last six games show real progress, although the defeat to Chelsea confirmed the gap in their quality with the elite teams of the Champions League.
Hill Dickinson Stadium felt haunted at the start of the season, when Everton were unbeaten in their first five home games. However, that aura began to fade after two defeats in the last four home games. Interestingly, five of Everton's six defeats this season have come against Champions League participants, a pattern that is again relevant ahead of the Arsenal visit.
The record meeting also gives Everton a glimmer of optimism. Last season, they held Arsenal twice and lost only once in the last seven home games against the Gunners in the Premier League. Although Goodison Park is now a memory, that competitive memory is still a fuel for confidence.
In terms of team news, Arsenal again lost a defender. Ben White suffered a hamstring injury against Wolves and is expected to miss at least a month. He joins the injury list that has been filled by Cristhian Mosquera, Gabriel Magalhaes, Kai Havertz, and Max Dowman. The good news is that Riccardo Calafiori is back from suspension and ready to fill the back line immediately.
With this composition, Jurrien Timber, William Saliba, and Piero Hincapie are expected to shift one position to the right. In the front line, Martin Odegaard and Leandro Trossard have the opportunity to return to the starting lineup to add creativity and control the game.
Everton also did not escape the storm of injuries and absences. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is confirmed to be absent after suffering a hamstring problem against Chelsea. Jack Grealish is still in doubt, while Iliman Ndiaye and Idrissa Gueye are absent because they defend their respective countries in the Africa Cup of Nations. Jarrad Branthwaite, Seamus Coleman, and Merlin Rohl are also still on the sidelines.
Tactically, this match has the potential to be tight at the start. Everton will likely play more reactively, trying to take advantage of transitions and set pieces. However, the absence of several key players makes their margin of error very thin. Arsenal, with full preparation time and the drive to make up for last week's poor performance, is predicted to perform more neatly and controlled.
The score prediction leads to Arsenal winning without conceding. Everton 0-2 Arsenal is considered the most realistic result, with the quality and depth of the Gunners' squad being the main differentiator at the new Merseyside stadium.
Player Forecast
Everton: Pickford; O'Brien, Keane, Tarkowski, Mykolenko; Garner, Iroegbunam; Dibling, Alcaraz, Grealish; Barry
Arsenal: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Hincapie, Calafiori; Odegaard, Zubimendi, Rice; Saka, Gyokeres, Trossard
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