Premier League meltdown as Everton eyes Arsenal collapse at Goodison Park | OneFootball

The Premier League shows no mercy. Everton and Arsenal meet at Goodison Park, each carrying a different kind of urgency. One is trying to pull away from the edge, the other is trying not to lose its way. It’s a heavyweight matchup, even without the glamour of a classic.

Moyes and the art of rebuilding with what you’ve got

David Moyes returned to Everton to lift up a squad that, from time to time, looks like it’s walking in the dark. Sitting 15th in the table with 34 points, the Toffees know they’re not mathematically safe yet. And the coach isn’t sugarcoating anything: “We’ve got a good points total. We’re not mathematically safe yet, but it’ll be a tough defeat for the teams in the relegation zone.”

Even against a technically superior opponent, Everton needs to turn Goodison into a pressure cooker— if only out of stubbornness. Moyes is still betting on the slow return of key names like Iliman Ndiaye and Dwight McNeil. “He’s getting closer, it’s just that he’s probably lacking real match fitness — but he’s back in the frame and we’re considering him,” he said about the Senegalese forward. And McNeil: "He's back in training. He's been back on the grass for three or four days now, so he's getting close, and if we can bring him into it, we will."

Jesper Lindstrøm's unavailable due to suspected hernia makes it even more complicated. Moyes stressed at the press conference that the team is reaching the final stage with greater pressure than calm. Uncertainty of who is leaving, players out of contract, roles not defined. "There's a lot to play for. There are a lot of players out of contract. We need to keep the players focused and keep their mindset right."

Arsenal FC v Everton FC - Premier League | Richard Heathcote/GettyImages

Repairing Arsenal with confidence and prudence

While Everton's challenge is to remain afloat and not fall, that of Arsenal is to keep second spot with 61 points since their team is falling apart week after week. Arteta, no stranger to Goodison Park, has already mentioned that Arsenal will have to get used to functioning without the services of such major personnel as Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Magalhães, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Kai Havertz, and Riccardo Calafiori.

It was hard to swallow as we had just regained Saka and then Gabi got lost. So it was hard, but the team reacted the way it has all season. I'm very proud of that, and we know he'll be out for a while," the Spanish manager said.

The flip side is that Arteta, in spite of all these disappointments, has not let the Gunners out of the competition. Still, there are questions regarding Ben White and Jurrien Timber, who are both scheduled for final fitness tests. In a matter of hours, everything can change. The coach himself admits: "There are a few [options] on the table. How deep we have to go down that road, I hope not too deep, but there are always options."

Jakub Kiwior might play the defensive position again, as against Fulham, but there's a sense Arteta will be forced to tinker with the pieces like a watchmaker.

Goodison, farewells and living memories

Goodison Park | Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/GettyImages

This Goodison game tastes differently to the Spanish boss. He has played there, captained there, knows the club and supporters by heart. This is not another away match. It's more of a return to his own past. "It'll be very special. There's a lot of history between the clubs, and I have my own personal history, which was beautiful, with the manager who just came back now and is doing very well." Moyes spoke kindly of his former player, with a hint of irony: "I think Mikel has done fantastically well. He was a proper leader here and captain for an extended period of time. Has he changed? No, he was always a bit grumpy! As a player, he was always brilliant for us."

The reunion between the two is symbolic. One is trying to keep his team from falling. The other is chasing a title with a patched-up squad. Both know how demanding soccer can be when you’re forced to make big decisions with limited resources.

Goodison Park might be about to host one of its last big games before Everton's move to its new stadium. It's got atmosphere, gravity, memory. And Arteta doesn't deny that it gets to him. "In my opinion, he was the person who brought the club to a different level, and now he's on the way to do the same when they move to a new stadium, so I think it's a really nice story."