Everton vs Arsenal Player Ratings: Jake O’Brien handball and inconsistent VAR costs the game | OneFootball

Jake O’Brien will certainly not be tuning into the highlights for this clash anytime soon after his handball decided the game. A bizarre moment, while trying to defend a corner-kick, led to Arsenal’s Viktor Gyokeres scoring the only goal of the night from the penalty spot at Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Everton, missing several key players, began the match on a positive note and took the game to the league leaders. However, O’Brien’s handball arrested all of the positive momentum as the hosts spent the rest of the first half trying to prevent Mikel Arteta’s side from doubling their lead.

Everton were also denied a penalty of their own after William Saliba caught Thierno Barry’s leg inside his own box while trying to compete for the same ball. VAR, however, ruled it out inexplicably.

While the Toffees did venture further forward in the second half, it was always going to be a tough ask breaking down the most disciplined defence in the league, especially without Iliman Ndiaye and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.

David Moyes’ changes were also late, as they often tend to be, with Charly Alcaraz and Dwight McNeil barely making a positive impression and should’ve been replaced earlier in the second half.

Further blushes were spared when Leandro Trossard hit the woodwork after finding himself in a 1v1 with Jordan Pickford. In the end, Everton ended the contest without a shot on target as a moment of madness in the first half essentially sealed the game.

Here are the player ratings from Everton’s 1-0 loss to Arsenal:

Jordan Pickford: 6

Not a whole lot that Jordan Pickford could’ve done to avoid the result. He was beaten for pace and power by Gyokeres’ strong penalty and had his left post to thank for thwarting Trossard’s attempt. The Everton keeper made a good punch away from a corner kick late in the game, but his passing accuracy was not up to his usual standards.

Jake O’Brien: 3.5

Gave away the penalty with a needless handball inside his own box while defending from a corner-kick that led to the Arsenal opener. O’Brien’s hands were in an unnatural position, leaving VAR with no option but to call the referee to the monitor, which is a shame given how positively the Toffees had started the game. While his defensive performance was fine, he didn’t contribute a lot going forward.

James Tarkowski: 7

Made a brilliant block on Viktor Gyokeres to prevent Arsenal from doubling their lead before half-time. Tarkowski’s passing from the back was also sharp, often going long and direct to Thierno Barry successfully.

He had a flawless defensive performance, besides one moment late in the game when, in an exhausted effort to clear the ball, he ended up conceding a corner with the ball missing Pickford’s far post by only a small margin.

Michael Keane: 7.5

Held his own in tussles against Gyokeres and was authoritative while leading from the back. Keane also defended well against Bukayo Saka, not allowing the Arsenal winger to come inside and threaten Pickford’s goal.

Vitalii Mykolenko: 7

There were several occasions during the game when Mykolenko found himself as a lone-man defence with Arsenal’s forwards breaking on the counter from Everton’s free-kicks. His defending during those moments against Gyokeres, Saka and Martinelli was perfect and Mykolenko also kept Saka and Jurrien Timber at bay on his flank for most of the game.

Tim Iroegbunam: 7

Iroegbunam registered a solid performance in the middle, holding shape ahead of the backline and mopping things up. He had the most tackles (seven) in the game and won eight out of his 10 ground duels.

James Garner: 6.5

Had to step up as the leader of Everton’s midfield in Idrissa Gana Gueye’s absence. Garner kept things ticking, and often dropped deeper in between the centre-backs to build play from the back.

Charly Alcaraz: 4 (replaced by Merlin Rohl at 75’)

It was a poor performance from Charly Alcaraz, who started in the number 10 role with Dewsbury-Hall out injured. While there was no shortage of industry from the Argentine, he made a string of loose touches and all his actions in possession looked rushed, leading to several ball losses and wasted opportunities.

Dwight McNeil: 5 (replaced by Tyler Dibling at 75’)

Didn’t see much of the ball for large portions of the game and failed to exert himself on proceedings. Tried to swing in a few dangerous-looking crosses from his flank but they were well read by David Raya.

Thierno Barry: 6 (replaced by Beto at 65’)

The French striker didn’t get a lot of chances to work with once Everton went behind. However, Barry’s centre-forward play was pretty good, as he battled for long balls from in behind, held up play and stitched positive passes with his teammates. Barry should've also won a penalty for his side after being kicked in the foot by Saliba inside his own box, but to the dismay of everyone at Hill Dickinson Stadium, VAR stayed mum.

Jack Grealish: 5

Jack Grealish failed to get the better of Jurren Timber for most of the game. He also didn’t find himself with much space to work with and, as a result, had to drop deeper than usual. A quiet night for the loanee.

Substitutions

Beto: 6

Showed a lot of graft and kept William Saliba on his toes, winning the ball off him on one occasion. Although he put in the hard yards after coming on, the Everton number 9, like Barry, didn’t have many openings to work with.

Merlin Rohl: 5

First game back after several weeks on the sidelines, Rohl looked a bit rusty, giving away the ball on a few occasions. However, there was one positive moment where he looked to lead a counter-attack with Arsenal’s players committed higher up, but his teammates failed to join in time, forcing him to go back.

Tyler Dibling: 5

Failed to influence proceedings after coming on and still seems pretty short on confidence.

Reader Comments (21)

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Kieran Kinsella 1 Posted 20/12/2025 at 23:48:54

On the VAR there was a cross first half where Tarkowski was manhandled off the field with an Arsenal player with two hands ripping his shirt off. Not even commented upon by the commentators but as they say “we've seen those given.”

But that said, I disagree that VAR helped cost us the game. They hit the post twice. Could've been 3-0. In reality, we had no quality or pace or ambition. They had a little bit of each in phases. They deserved it based on their modicum of each,

On your ratings it's difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff. Obviously O'Brien made a massive mistake. Tarkowski did a few good tackles but was exposed a few times too. Barry though stood out with his pass back to an Arsenal attacker when he was supposed to be holding the ball up during our attack.

Mark Murphy 2 Posted 21/12/2025 at 00:34:21

I watched the game in a southern pub and thought we competed well albeit without menace. I didn't really understand why VAR was needed for their penalty and I think without VAR ours would've been given.

But, fair result from what I saw and the pub I was in got a good rendition of Spirit of the Blues from meself that two other exiles joined in, to a round of applause.

It doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things. The new stadium is a massive game-changer in our club's history! We never shone so brightly!

I'd have thought that Garner deserved a better rating and I thought he was a lot better than Iroegbunam who, while not having a bad game, didn't get forward or do a lot in Arsenal's half.

As an aside, why not also give the manager a rating? I thought he could have made a few changes earlier given that Alcaraz was having a poor game and McNeil just isn't somebody who can play wide right.

And rather than have less than the allowed number on the bench, give some of the kids a day out. Sooner or later, he might have to try something completely different in the striking department -- either play two upfront or, as he did in his first stint, play without a recognized striker?

Albeit without a target man, crosses don't seem worthwhile... not that it changes much given the ineffectiveness of the two 6'-4", is it, strikers.

Jim Bennings 4 Posted 21/12/2025 at 06:48:50

I don't really think anyone warranted more than a 6 in truth.

The defence was okay but you feel there is always a brain fart in all of them, and it happened with O'Brien last night.

The midfield, lots of running around and gusto, but not one stage last night made me think they would create anything or get shots at goal, there's no pace or dynamism there.

Grealish has been playing on fumes for the last four weeks and a bigger more trustworthy squad would have seen him having a recharge of the batteries.

We've got a straw man up front that needs a few good pans of Scouse and rice pudding down him because he's quite simply too flimsy for the physicality of the Premier League, time and time again his lack of beef showed last night.

I don't know what the transfer window will bring us but the plans for this window should have long been made during this year, it's not a case of "Oh the window is open what's available?"

We need to get at least one or two of the problematic areas fixed even if they are short term until summer and then readdress it again then.

We need more striking options, there is not one jot of doubt regarding that.

We need to try and get a full-back, left of right, that can actually run past the wide player and offer a consistent option and in an ideal world we'd have a pacy wide midfielder coming in.

It won't be easy but it can be done, I look at examples of when we got Donovan, Lennon etc in January windows respectively.

Tony Heron 6 Posted 21/12/2025 at 08:09:03

I can understand people looking too the transfer window in the hope we can address the blatant issues we have had for some time. But honestly, thinking about some of our recent signings, I'm not overly confident that we will get what we need... or, if we do, the quality required.

How did we think it was worthwhile chasing the likes of Dibling for so long if he can't get a start? When he gets on the pitch, he gives nothing. I don't see any desire to prove a point no sign of exceptional skill. Ho looks lost.

And enough has been said about our so-called striker, so no need for me to say any more.

Bill Fairfield 7 Posted 21/12/2025 at 08:26:32

Frustrating again, we just lack that bit of quality needed in the attack. It’ll be difficult but hopefully we can improve the situation next month.

Dave Abrahams 8 Posted 21/12/2025 at 08:29:09

Anjishnu, where did you get those ratings from — Keane our best player - Jesus most of his passing was back to the goalkeeper another safety first display Tarkowski and Mylolenko were much better, I know everyone sees the game differently but some of those players got better marks than they deserved and others got less like James Garner.

I give you 1 for your ratings!

Rob Beattie 10 Posted 21/12/2025 at 09:30:14

We won't win fa with dithering Dave. 40 mil for Dibling to sit on bench. Anyone seen the the young Bayern LB ? Rhol ? O'Brien RB !!!

Grealish & Ndiaye are having yo play against 2 on their own. We need to get rid of Moyes. Carsley ? dunno. we won't win fa with Moyes though

Mark Murphy 11 Posted 21/12/2025 at 09:30:51

I just want to say that the much maligned Mykolenko had a good game in my opinion.

Left back is not the issue.

Joe McMahon 12 Posted 21/12/2025 at 09:49:45

Fully agree with posts 5, 6,10.and 11. As an aside I just can't fathom how Moyes has no evolved in well over 20 years in management. Line up predictable, subs predictable and subs far too late. 5 million a year for this.

John Williams 13 Posted 21/12/2025 at 10:22:19

Joe 12,

Seeing you are such an expert PL manager, please explain to us, how you would have played differently, with the same number of players at his disposal.

We have a very small squad, players missing injured, two regulars gone to the Afcon.

I thought Everton did ok last night, certainly in the game until that loon gave away the penalty. Arsenal took control, but they were not the free flowing Arsenal we have seen earlier in the season, Second half, Everton gave them a game, did not look like scoring, but everyman and his dog, knows we need at least one striker, a true rightback would help.

As for some of our fans, we all know, there is some crap out there and we have lost players due to them. They are not fans, they are Morons.

Paul Murray 15 Posted 21/12/2025 at 11:04:03

There was a lot of effort but no quality without our best two goal threat players. Jake let himself and the team down last night he got away with one that could have been given just before his ridiculous goalkeeper heroics. I thought defensively we were pretty solid and Tim and Jimmy did well in the middle park Jack was awful maybe the injury he was carrying

McNeil and Alcaraz well this just shows boss how all players need minutes. Thought var should have intervened for the foul on Barry sure it would have been given the other end. Unfortunately for us the next few weeks we got illie and probably kdh missing and it just shows how good these two are and all them kdh knockers lower your heads. But on the other side we got some weaker teams coming up. Hopefully we can pick up a right back and get a striker on loan maybe we cannot persevere with them two. We will not go down so please Dave let’s have a real good go at the FA cup please

Les Callan 16 Posted 21/12/2025 at 11:19:29

Mark @2. Agreed the new stadium is brilliant. Wouldn’t it be great if we had a fast exciting team to go with it, the place would be really bouncing. Instead we play slow motion football.

Mike Gaynes 17 Posted 21/12/2025 at 17:48:25

Worth pointing out that, just a minute before his brain fart, Jake was beaten for position on the back post and made a challenge that could very well have been whistled for a penalty. And early on, he completely forgot to cover an overlapping run. His head just wasn't in the game.

Worth noting also that a couple of Tim's brilliant tackles were remediation for his own mis-positioning. He got caught on the wrong side of his man and had to put in sensational but high-risk challenges. Fortunately they worked out. He's tremendously talented but, until he gets the knack of proper positioning, the yellow cards will keep coming. There's a reason he's got five in less than 700 minutes this season.

I thought Rohl was simply awful. Probably just not enough training time because of the injury, but he wasn't even close to standard.

John #13, amen, mostly. Moyes is often worthy of criticism but that particular example of it looks very silly under the circumstances. I look forward to Joe's response if there is one.

I very strongly disagree, however, that we've lost quality players due to lack of fan support. I'd ask you for an example... and please don't say Barkley and his four goals per season since leaving.

When I watch us play now, I honestly don't see much difference from the David Moyes of yesteryear, so if you can explain in any kind of detail how you think David Moyes has genuinely evolved, Mike, I'd be very interested to read your views, mate.

Maybe that's not being fair to David because he's only been back for 11 months, but he's not someone I really go out of my way to listen to because, whenever I do, it usually gives me a feeling that I'm just going back in time.

Ian Bennett 19 Posted 21/12/2025 at 20:09:26

Mykolenko looks to me like a centre-back. Did well on 1 vs 1, but offers absolutely nothing at full-back.

If we had some decent pace at wingback, perhaps 3 at the back is the better option.

Not sure I agree with a lot of the previous comments.

I thought Keane had a good game and did play some good long balls forward. I did not see the negative side to his play. Actually I thought the defence did well and, apart from O'Brien's brain fart playing out of position, I thought he did okay.

Charly Alcaraz had a terrible game, as did McNeil, and Dibling provided nothing when he came on. So it looks like £40M down the drain.

Actually, the time he was on, I thought Rohl did okay. Yes, a couple of wayward passes but I liked the way he drove forward with the ball at pace. Something we are lacking in the squad.

So, while McNeil is too slow and Dibling is like a deer caught in headlights, maybe we could try Rohl at Number 10 and Charly Alcaraz on the wing. The rest of the team picks itself until we hopefully get some fresh blood in January and KDH returns.