Everton 0-1 Arsenal: Viktor Gyokeres penalty 27 

Everton 0-1 Arsenal: Gyokeres goal restores Gunners to Premier League leaders

Arsenal battled their way to a hard-fought victory at Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium 

Arsenal’s beleaguered striker Viktor Gyokeres shrugged off his travails to underline his cool temperament and slot home his penalty to restore the North Londoners position at the top of the Premier League.

A raucous Saturday evening at Everton’s astonishingly excellent new ground saw Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal side head into a game not top of the Premier League table for the first time since October 4.

The impressive Hill Dickinson Stadium played host to the second place Gunners after new leaders Manchester City swatted away the feeble attempts of West Ham earlier in the day to lead by a single point, a slender but psychologically important gap.

With the home support unveiling an impressive pre-match Tifo display that read: “On The Banks of the Royal Blue Mersey,” as the throaty roads of more than 50,000 fans filled the cold Merseyside night air, Arteta’s team needed to show character and resilience to earn the right to head back to the top of the division for Christmas.

And it was the clinical finish of a player who has had his share of travails this term that helped restore Arteta’s side’s lead at the top.

The spot was awarded after Jake O’Brien, arms outstretched above his head, inexplicably handled the ball after Jurrien Timber crossed the ball into a crowded box.

There was initial confusion, with VAR sending referee Sam Barrott to the monitor to take a look at 6ft 5ins O’Brien’s unnecessary impetuosity, leading to the correct outcome of the award of a spot-kick.

Gyokeres, who has been criticised by many outside the club, as well as on social media, for only netting six goals up to the last weekend before Christmas, took a confident run-up to blast the past the Toffees vastly experienced keeper Jordan Pickford, even if the bustling Swede’s effort was perhaps a tad too near the England international’s dive for comfort.

No matter, the Gunners celebrations underlined the importance of the goal, as the delighted travelling support celebrating wildly at the other end of the fabulous new stadium.

The visitors should perhaps have doubled their lead following interval but Pickford saved from Bukayo Saka’s low drive. Yet, if anything it was the home side that were bolstered afterwards.

Roared on by the vociferous majority home support in a crowd of 52,513, the impish Jack Grealish probed Arsenal’s right flank as Everton put the Gunners under pressure. Gyokeres was then booked for delaying the restart of a free-kick, prior to the Gunners surviving a VAR penalty check, after William Saliba appeared to kick Barry’s foot.

Moments later Leo Trossard hit the far post with Pickford beaten, with Arteta opting to replace Gyokeres with Jesus on 65 minutes.

As the clock ticked down Arsenal rode out the Toffees tempest to post a hugely important victory on the banks of the Mersey.

Speaking afterwards Arteta said: “