Source: Daily_Mail
Everton 1 Arsenal 6: Fab start to season as Gunners go goal crazy
Arsenal got their season off to a great start as they tore poor Everton apart at Goodison Park with a stunning display.[LNB]The visitors were three ahead at the break through Denilson - from the edge of the box - and two headed goals from Thomas Vermaelen and William Gallas.[LNB]Things got worse for the Toffees in the second period when Cesc Fabregas grabbed two for himself to underline an outstanding personal performance.[LNB]Eduardo netted the sixth before Louis Saha scored a consolation goal in injury-time for Everton.[LNB] Top Gunner: Thomas Vermaelen (second right) is congratulated by team-mates after scoring Arsenal's second goal[LNB]Everton included Joleon Lescott for their Barclays Premier League opener at home to Arsenal, despite the on-going saga of Manchester City's attempts to sign the defender.[LNB] Brazilian striker Jo has recovered from an ankle problem, while Steven Pienaar has shaken off knee trouble. [LNB]Louis Saha was only on the bench. Arsenal gave their new Belgian defender Thomas Vermaelen his league debut but were without Theo Walcott (back), Abou Diaby (groin), Tomas Rosicky (hamstring) and Johan Djourou (knee).[LNB] Moyes got a warm reception from the Goodison Park faithful, and Lescott's name was greeted with far more cheers than jeers from a sell-out crowd. [LNB]Arsenal were sharp and their passing game was quickly on song. And when Phil Neville misplaced a ball in midfield, the Gunners flowed forward before Nicklas Bendtner drove a shot over the bar.[LNB]Happy days: Denilson celebrates his strike with Andrey Arshavin[LNB]After 14 minutes Bendtner headed down for Robin Van Persie to see his shot on the turn deflected wide by Lescott. [LNB]Everton were having to work tremendously hard in midfield to containthe tempo of Arsenal's game and the Toffees did not create a chance inthe opening 20 minutes.[LNB]The goal Arsenal had been threateningarrived after 26 minutes.[LNB] Bendtner surged in from the left beforeflicking a pass to Cesc Fabregas, who instantly turned the ball intoDenilson's path. [LNB]The pace of the move left Everton floundering,and the fine strike from the Brazilian from just outside the areadipped and curled into the top corner.[LNB] Everton's response waspredictably furious and they had Arsenal hemmed into their box.[LNB] Only agoal-line clearance from Denilson following Marouane Fellaini's headerfrom a Leighton Baines corner stopped an equaliser.[LNB] [LNB] [LNB] [LNB] But after37 minutes Arsenal were two goals ahead. Van Persie's free-kick from theright found Vermaelen beyond the far post, and the defender headed backinto the bottom corner. [LNB]The marking for that goal was dreadful,with Fellaini and Joseph Yobo seemingly at fault. But four minuteslater when William Gallas headed home another free-kick, this time fromFabregas, the defending was even worse.[LNB] Gallas had a free run into the six-yard box to guide his header home completely uncontested. [LNB] [LNB] [LNB] I don't believe it: Joleon Lescott, a target for Manchester City, shows the strain[LNB]Everton were shell-shocked, and it got worse three minutes after the interval.[LNB]The hosts were caught by a pitch-length move from Arsenal which endedwith Fabregas cruising into the box to send his shot past Howard.[LNB]Denilson had started the surge deep on the left and found Van Persie before a neat pass left the Arsenal skipper to do the rest.[LNB]Moyes then made a triple substitution. Saha replaced Leon Osman, DanGosling came on for Hibbert while Jack Rodwell took over from Jo.[LNB]The reshuffle included Neville reverting to full-back from midfield,where he had struggled. Rodwell, Fellaini and Pienaar all had chancesas Everton struggled to get some pride back.[LNB]Arsenal sent on Emmanuel Eboue for Bendtner after 63 minutes - but Fabregas was not finished.[LNB]After 69 minutes the Spaniard collected a throw from Manuel Almuniaand ran from inside his own half without facing a tackle to drive homeArsenal's fifth goal.[LNB] William the conqueror: Scorer Gallas celebrates with Robin van Persie [LNB]Their jobs done, Arsenal took off Fabregas and Van Persie, sending on Aaron Ramsey and Eduardo.[LNB]With the ground emptying fast, and the Gunners' fans in full song, Everton just wanted this embarrassment to end as quickly as possible.[LNB]But Eduardo still had time to score the sixth, netting from close in after Andrey Arshavin's shot had come back off a post with two minutes to go.[LNB]Everton finally got onto the scoresheet in injury time when Saha netted after Pienaar's shot had been blocked.[LNB] Shooting star: Cesc Fabregas makes it 4-0 for the Gunners[LNB] Chelsea 2 Hull 1Aston Villa 0 Wigan 2Blackburn 0 Man City 2Bolton 0 Sunderland 1Portsmouth 0 Fulham 1Stoke 2 Burnley 0Wolves 0 West Ham 2EVERTON
