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  • Saha (90)
  • Denilson (26), Vermaelen (37), Gallas (41), Fabregas (48), Fabregas (69), Eduardo (88)
  • Date:2009-08-15
  • Kick-off:17:30
  • Venue:Goodison Park
  • Attendance:39309
  • Referee:Halsey, M

Live Commentary

90mins

Full Time: Everton 1 - 6 Arsenal. Arsenal have given a statement of intent with this result on the opening day of the season and Everton have been left shattered.

90mins

EVERTON 1 - 6 ARSENAL: SAHA nets a consolation goal for Everton from inside the box after latching onto Pienaar's rebounded shot.

88mins

Arsenal go in search of yet another as Ramsay sends a cross into the box but this time the move comes to nothing.

86mins

EVERTON 0 - 6 ARSENAL: A delicate Arshavin shot comes back off the post and EDUARDO, on his Premier League return, nets a poacher's form close range.

84mins

Aaron Ramsey runs at the Everton defence and lets fly from 25-yards but fails to work Howard.

81mins

Goodison Park is almost empty as the game enters the final ten minutes with the majority of the home crowd pouring out of the exits after the fifth goal.

79mins

Saha bursts into the box after riding the challenge of Sagna but loses his balance and slices his shot wide of the target.

78mins

Eduardo gets half a yard on the edge of the box and releases a shot but Howard sees it bounce wide of the mark.

75mins

The ball drops to Saha on the edge of the box and he tries his luck with a first time shot but it fails to trouble Almunia.

73mins

Wenger makes it a double substitution as Eduardo is given a run out with Van Persie leaving the field.

73mins

Fabregas has played his part today and leaves the field to be replaced by Aaron Ramsey.

71mins

Arsenal are making it look easy at Goodison Park and it is a performance that will leave the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea worrying.

69mins

EVERTON 0 - 5 ARSENAL: Almunia plucks the ball out of the air and throws it out to FABREGAS who runs the ball 75-yards up the pitch before striking a low shot past an outstretched Howard.

68mins

The away fans call for handball as Arshavin's cross is deflected off Neville but the referee waves play on.

67mins

Arsenal are in full control of this game now and Song is winning everything in the centre of the park.

65mins

Everton put together a decent move before Gosling tries to thread a pass through to Saha but the forward is ruled offside.

63mins

Arsene Wenger makes his first change of the game as Nicklas Bendtner is replaced by Emmanuel Eboue

61mins

Pienaar sets up an opportunity for Rodwell on the edge of the box but he snaps at the opportunity and the ball sails over the crossbar.

58mins

Dan Gosling comes on for Tony Hibbert.

58mins

Jack Rodwell enters the fray in place of Jo.

58mins

David Moyes is set to make a triple substitution, the first of which sees Leon Osman make way for Louis Saha.

56mins

Arshavin delivers an Arsenal corner but Neville is first to the ball and heads clear the danger.

54mins

Everton are given an opportunity to create something from a corner but Osman's delivery sails straight into the arms of Almunia.

51mins

There are a few worried looks on the Arsenal bench as Denilson goes down with an injury but it looks as though he will be fit to continue.

49mins

That was a wonderful move from Arsenal and the fixture is more of an exhibition game now.

47mins

EVERTON 0 - 4 ARSENAL: The visitors move forward quickly on the counter attack and catch Everton off guard. Van Persie makes a brilliant run before setting of FABREGAS who slots the ball through the legs of Howard to increase Arsenal's lead.

47mins

Fellaini flicks on a Neville throw but the opportunity comes to nothing.

45mins

Everton face a stiff test this half but start well as Hibbert finds room for a cross but his delivery is poor and Vermaelen clears the danger at the near post.

45mins

Mark Halsey gets the second-half underway and both sides remain unchanged.

45mins

Half Time: Everton 0 - 3 Arsenal: Everton have been completely undone in their opening half of the season. They have been punished for a series of slack defending and David Moyes will have to work a miracle in the dressing room to turn this around.

45mins

Fabregas tries to get in on the action as he attempts a header from a Sagna cross but he cannot direct it goal-wards.

42mins

Everton are being torn apart by Arsenal at the moment and there is a stunned silence around Goodison Park.

40mins

EVERTON 0 - 3 ARSENAL: The visitors win another free-kick in a decent position. Fabregas bends an inviting ball into the mixer and GALLAS' glancing header beats Howard for the second time in quick succession.

37mins

It is a debut goal for the Belgian defender but David Moyes will be cursing his side's slack marking from the set-piece.

36mins

EVERTON 0 - 2 ARSENAL: Van Persie curls a free-kick towards the far post and finds VERMAELEN who eases a header into the far corner of the goal.

34mins

Arshavin latches onto a long ball and beats Howard with an audacious chip but the linesman's flag is raised and the goal is ruled out.

32mins

An Everton corner causes problems amongst the Arsenal rear-guard and Fellaini's downwards header is cleared off the line by Denilson.

30mins

Arsenal look a lot more comfortable on the ball since the goal and Fabregas picks out Arshavin with a wonderful cross-field pass but the Russian forward is ruled offside.

28mins

Everton are struggling for attacking options at the moment and are still yet to trouble Almunia.

25mins

EVERTON 0 - 1 ARSENAL: After good work down the right flank from Bendtner, Fabregas tees up DENILSON who bends a shot into the far corner giving Howard no chance.

24mins

Everton send their tall players forward for a set piece but Joseph Yobo's delivery is poor and sails straight into the arms of Manuel Almunia.

21mins

Casual defending from Joleon Lescott gifts Andrey Arshavin with an opportunity but the England defender redeems himself by blocking his cross.

18mins

Bendtner moves forward for the visitors and reaches the byline but is challenged by Baines before he can get a cross away.

16mins

Van Persie tries his luck with a long range free-kick but he fails to trouble Tim Howard.

13mins

Fellaini is heavily involved for Everton in the opening stages of this game but the crowded midfield area is preventing both sides from getting the ball down and playing football.

11mins

Bendtner cushions a header down to Van Persie whose shot from inside the box deflects behind for a corner kick.

8mins

The game has begun in rather scrappy fashion and is very stop-start at the moment as Bacary Sagna receives treatment for an injury.

5mins

Nicklas Bendtner and Robin Van Persie link up on the edge of the box with a neat one-two but Phil Neville reads the situation and cuts out the opportunity.

3mins

Everton enjoy a decent spell of possession early on but the move breaks down as Marouane Fellaini is closed down on the edge of the Arsenal box.

0mins

Referee Mark Halsey gets the game underway.

0mins

Arsene Wenger hands a debut to defender Thomas Vermaelen for his side's opening day fixture and transfer rumour victim Cesc Fabregas is also among the starting eleven, but Theo Walcott, Tomas Rosicky and Samir Nasri are all ruled out with injuries.

0mins

The big team news for Everton for this evening's fixture at Goodison Park is that Joleon Lescott starts at the heart of the Toffee's defence. Elsewhere Jo is passed fit and makes the starting line-up.

Match Preview

Everton face an exciting opening day fixture against an much scrutinised Arsenal side minus of Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Adebayor, who have both left to join big-spending Manchester City.

The Gunners still have the quality to succeed this term with the pleasing full return of Eduardo da Silva after a horrific leg break and Robin van Persie likely to form their strike force partnership since Adebayor's defection.

Midfield maestro Cesc Fabregas, linked with a move to Champions League winners Barcelona, is set to orchestrate once more in the centre of the park.

Eyes will be on the development of English stars Theo Walcott and 17-year-old Jack Wilshere, who will be aiming to impress national team manager Fabio Capello.

New signing Thomas Vermaelen could partner William Gallas at the back in what looks an imposing backline and the Emirates Stadium-based club will be looking for Andrey Arshavin to continue his fine form from the back end of last season.

David Moyes' men, who finished one spot behind Arsenal in fifth place last term, will be looking to consolidate their position this time round.

Moyes will be delighted if Joeleon Lescott starts against Arsenal after a summer of bids from Manchester City for him, all of which have been rejected, to date.

It has been reported that Lescott has handed in an official transfer request after a succession of refused offers for his services.

Tim Cahill will once more be the goal threat from midfield and Arsenal will have to take care of the diminutive Australian.

Bushy haired Marouane Fellaini will also be looking to dictate the game from the centre of the park and he could come against Fabregas in what could be an enthralling duel.

Brazilian Jo, on-loan from Manchester City, will again be looking to take advantage of his first team starts with more goals for his temporary employers.

Samir Nasri (broken leg) and Tomas Rosicky (hamstring) are still long-term absentees for the Gunners.

The Toffees have a list of injuries. Yakubu (Achilles), Victor Anichebe (knee), Phil Jagielka and Mikel Arteta (both cruciate ligament) are all out for some time.

Arsenal will be looking to pick up on their shortcomings at Goodison Park in Saturday's late kick-off.


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Match Report

Arsenal inflicted Everton's heaviest ever opening day defeat as they battered the Toffees 6-1 at Goodison Park.

Arsenal arrived on Merseyside with high hopes as manager Arsene Wenger stated he believes he has the squad to mount a serious challenge for the Premier League title this season.

For Everton's David Moyes, the quest began to repeat the heroics of 2004/05 and break the stranglehold the big four have on the Champions League positions.

Without investment and any significant signings though, many now fear even building on last season's success of fifth in the league and an FA Cup Final appearance will be nigh on impossible.

Everton were forced to start the season without long-term absentees Mikel Arteta, Victor Anichebe, Phil Jagielka and Yakubu, while Arsenal arrived minus England star Theo Walcott, Abou Diaby, Johann Djourou, Samir Nasri and Tomas Rosicky.

The first 25 minutes of this encounter were as drab as one can possibly remember between these two sides.

Arsenal were pretty to watch as always but completely ineffectual in front of goal while Everton played with a predictability that reflected their limited first-team options.

On 26 minutes, Denilson came up with a goal so impressive it wiped out the memory of the previous period in a flash.

He received the ball from Cesc Fabregas 20 yards out after great work by Nicklas Bendtner and unleashed a shot that Tim Howard had no chance of getting to.

Afterwards Everton applied slightly more pressure on Manuel Almunia's goal but it was Arsenal not the Toffees who added to their tally.

In fact they added two more before half-time as they hit their stride and both would have had David Moyes spitting blood so cheaply were they given away.

On 37 minutes new signing Thomas Vermaelen connected with a Robin van Persie free-kick to plant a free header from six yards past Howard.

Four minutes later the same trick was repeated, but this time the performers were Fabregas and William Gallas.

The shambolic Everton players actually looked scared to leave the pitch at half-time, knowing as they did the vitriol of a furious Moyes awaited them in the dressing room.

Everton retook the field with a purpose that lasted all of two minutes as they got in front of the Arsenal goal, promptly lost the ball and watched Denilson run up field, lay off to van Persie who crossed to Fabregas who put it past Howard.

The introduction of Jack Rodwell, Louis Saha and Dan Gosling after an hour give a slight hope of a consolation as Steven Pienaar and Rodwell had chances on goal, but ultimately it was academic as Everton fell to their heaviest defeat on an opening day at Goodison since the legendary Tom Finney scored two as Preston North End beat the Blues 4-0 in August 1955.

For good measure, Fabregas popped in a peach for his second and Arsenal's fifth as he ran up field, picked his spot and buried the ball past Howard.

Then to top it, Eduardo Da Silva scored in the dying minutes to make it 6-0 after Andrey Arshavin had hit the post.

Saha scored an consolation on 90 minutes but it could not mask a woeful first day for the Toffees.

Everton

Arsenal

Corners

49

Fouls

1113

Goal attempts

815

Shots off target

35

Offsides

74

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