Arsenal have claimed more victories against Everton than any team has managed over any opponent in the history of English top-flight football, and they aim to secure their 103rd first-division win over the Toffees in Saturday’s Premier League clash at the Emirates Stadium.

Returning to domestic duty after a dominant 3-0 victory over Monaco in the Champions League, the Gunners face an Everton side who have had over a week to recover from their astonishing 4-0 demolition of Wolverhampton Wanderers. Bukayo Saka experienced a reversal of fortunes on Wednesday night. After seeing a last-gasp winner disallowed in last weekend’s 1-1 Premier League draw with Fulham, the Arsenal star played a direct role in all three goals against Monaco, delivering a masterclass performance. Saka’s two goals and an assist for Kai Havertz ensured Arsenal cruised past an error-prone Monaco side, who were fortunate not to be trailing by a larger margin by halftime. Missed chances by Gabriel Jesus and Martin Odegaard prevented an even more emphatic scoreline for the hosts. Now within touching distance of automatic qualification for the Champions League last 16, Arsenal must address some domestic shortcomings. Their momentum was checked in the league by a frustrating draw at Craven Cottage, leaving them third in the table, six points behind Liverpool, who have a game in hand. Some pessimistic Arsenal fans may already be doubting their title chances after five draws this season, but the race remains wide open. Arsenal’s unblemished home form this season keeps them firmly in contention.

Wednesday’s triumph marked Arsenal’s third consecutive home match with multiple goals and a clean sheet. Their 81% Premier League home win rate in 2024 is their highest since achieving 84% in 2007. Everton, meanwhile, had their fixture against Liverpool postponed due to Storm Darragh, disrupting the league schedule. The postponement likely inconvenienced the Toffees more than their Merseyside rivals. Sean Dyche’s side heads to North London off the back of their best performance of the season. A 4-0 thrashing of Wolves included a stunning free kick by Ashley Young and two own goals from Craig Dawson, ending Everton’s five-match winless and goalless streak in emphatic fashion. With the win, Everton moved five points clear of the relegation zone in 15th place and have a game in hand. However, their away record in 2024 remains poor. A victory over Ipswich Town is their only Premier League away win this year, with scoreless outings against Southampton, West Ham, and Manchester United since.After winning four out of five league games against Arsenal from 2020 to 2023, Everton have now lost three in a row to the Gunners. Arsenal’s 2-1 win on the final day of last season, though, ultimately proved inconsequential.

Arsenal’s defensive injury concerns deepened when Thomas Partey and Jurrien Timber missed training on Tuesday. Both managed to feature against Monaco, with Partey filling in at right-back, but Riccardo Calafiori (knee), Gabriel Magalhaes (unspecified), and Oleksandr Zinchenko (muscle) remain doubts. Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu are also unavailable due to knee injuries. Timber, who started on the bench midweek, may replace 17-year-old Myles Lewis-Skelly at left-back. Mikel Arteta is likely to make a couple of changes to freshen up his starting XI. Everton, on the other hand, could see defender Michael Keane return from a knee issue. However, Chermiti (unspecified), James Garner (back), and Tim Iroegbunam (ankle) are unlikely to feature. Dyche is expected to stick with the same lineup that dismantled Wolves. Dominic Calvert-Lewin, despite enduring a 10-match Premier League scoring drought, should keep Beto out of the starting XI. The forward has also been linked with a January move to Arsenal, adding intrigue to his performance. Arsenal’s prowess from set pieces has been a hallmark of their season, but Everton have relied heavily on dead-ball situations, with 57% of their league goals coming from set plays. Saturday’s contest could hinge on these fine margins.

While Everton will likely adopt Dyche’s signature defensive low block, Arsenal’s improved open-play creativity from midweek should eventually break them down. A routine home win appears to be on the cards for Arteta’s men.

Best Tip: Arsenal wins

Correct Score: 3-0