Arsenal 2-0 Everton: Alexandre Lacazette scores superb goal in victory
Alexandre Lacazette's fine second-half strike helped Arsenal to a 2-0 win over Everton in the Premier League at The Emirates on Super Sunday.
The impressive Petr Cech kept Arsenal level in the first half with several fine stops, before a curling stunner from Lacazette (56) and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's close-range finish (59) gave the hosts a cushion, despite the latter looking offside.
The result means Arsenal have won their last five on the bounce having lost their opening two, and sit in sixth place with Everton back in 12th.
Though Arsenal had most of the ball, the majority of chances fell Everton's way in the first half; Richarlison was denied at his feet by Cech in the second minute, before he again forced the goalkeeper into a save with a 20-yard snap shot.
Nacho Monreal saw his effort from close range superbly saved by Jordan Pickford after Aubameyang had unselfishly fed him, while Theo Walcott's pace caused problems for his old club, racing in-behind to see a shot blocked well by Cech again.
Arsenal struggled to deal with Richarlison again before the break, Cech coming to the rescue once more to tip over his fierce shot from the left angle of the box, but the hosts struck twice in quick succession after half-time.
Everton started the second half well, but were flattened by two goals in four minutes. Out of nothing, Aaron Ramsey slid in Lacazette to curl home off the post from the edge of the box for his second goal of the season.
Arsenal were then three-on-one in the final third, with Mesut Ozil's intended pass for Ramsey finding Aubameyang, who finished past a helpless Pickford despite being in an offside position.
Everton hit the bar late on through Lucas Digne from a tight angle, but Cech was unbeatable in the Arsenal goal as Everton were beaten for a second straight Super Sunday.
Player ratings
Arsenal: Cech (9), Bellerin (6), Mustafi (6), Sokratis (6), Monreal (6), Xhaka (6), Torreira (7), Ramsey (7), Aubameyang (7), Ozil (7), Lacazette (8)
Subs: Holding (6), Iwobi (5), Welbeck (NA)
Everton: Pickford (6), Kenny (6), Keane (6), Zouma (6), Digne (6), Gueye (6), Davies (6), Sigurdsson (6), Walcott (7), Calvert-Lewin (6), Richarlison (7)
Subs: Bernard (5), Tosun (6)
Man of the match: Petr Cech
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