Will Aubameyang score on his debut?

Match Preview: Arsenal vs. Everton - Premier League - 03.02.2018

The first test for the Arsenal manager now the transfer window is shut is how to accomodate all of his new attacking talent. Mkhitaryan joined Arsenal as part of the deal that took Alexis to Manchester United and brings some welcome creativity in midfield, whether he can play alongside Özil is the big question as many believed he would replace Özil but the World Cup winner has signed a new contract much to the relief of Arsenal fans the world over.

Summer signing Alexandre Lacazette has struggled for form this season but perhaps he will find his scoring touch again with two world class play-makers assisting him. Should the France forward still labour to find the back of the net Arsenal can look to new signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. The Gabon forward has joined the Gunners for another record fee rumoured to be in the region of £56m. We all know that Arsenal have sat on some money for a few seasons but their spending in recent years suggests someone has switched to betting with bitcoin using a 1Xbet Promo Code 2018 as the club has spent well over £100m this season plus signed Özil to a staggering £300k a week contract.

Mesut Özil is now indisputably the most important player to the team and if he continues to play at his mesmerising best we should have no trouble putting a run together to propel ourselves into the top four. We can find goals from anywhere when Mesut is pulling the strings and with the prospect of Aubameyang and Mkhitaryan rediscovering their old rhythm we are bound to be entertained. Everyone knows that Arsenal can easily put a run of results together so the eight point gap between us and Tottenham is not insurmountable. 

The worry for Arsenal is how long it will take for their new signings to settle in and for the team to adapt to losing 60% of last season's goals to rivals. Alexis, Giroud and Theo Walcott have all moved on and only 31 of our 77 league goals last season came from players other than those three. We cannot afford to underestimate the significance of that or the danger they post directly and indirectly to our top four hopes.

Walcott will face Arsenal this weekend with his new club Everton and he has already shown how dangerous he is with a brace in his last game. It is likely that Arsenal will play Maitland-Niles at left back and whilst he has performed admirably this season he hasn't yet had to contain someone of Theo's ferocious speed and calibre.

Everton have struggled for form this season and Arsenal have a great home record so this is as good a match as any to bed in the new signings and get some confidence going. Mkhitaryan will start according to the manager but Aubameyang may have to settle for a seat on the bench. Whether the ex-Dortmund hotshot starts or not he'll be odds on to grab a debut goal in front of the home fans.

LAST THREE Meetings

• Everton 2-5 Arsenal (22.10.2017)
• Arsenal 3-1 Everton (21.05.2017)
• Everton 2-1 Arsenal (13.12.2016)

FACTFILE

• Everton's current run of 11 Premier League matches without a win at Arsenal is their longest against any club (D4, L7).
• The Toffees have registered only two wins in 22 meetings in all competitions, most recently in December 2016.
• Arsenal have scored 100 goals against Everton, the only club to do so against another Premier League team.
• Arsenal have won only three of their last 11 league matches (D5, L3).
• The Gunners began that run fourth in the table, two points ahead of fifth. Going into this weekend they are sixth, eight points adrift of fourth.
• They have never lost a Premier League game at the Emirates Stadium in February (W17, D4).
• The Gunners have made 11 errors leading to goals this season, the most in Europe's top five leagues.
• Only Watford (16) have lost more Premier League points from a winning position than Arsenal's 15 in 2017-18.
• Arsenal have won all eight Premier League home fixtures this season against teams below them in the table.
• They have scored in their last 26 league games at the Emirates since a 0-0 draw against Middlesbrough in October 2016.
• Everton's victory over Leicester in midweek ended a seven-match winless run (D3, L4). It is their only triumph in 12 attempts against teams above them in the table.
• The Toffees are winless in their last 27 Premier League away fixtures against clubs that finished in the top six last season.
• Everton have won a league-high 13 points from a losing position this campaign.
• Sam Allardyce is winless in 13 Premier League away games at Arsenal, losing the last eight in a row.
• This match is Allardyce's 500th in the Premier League, making him just the fifth manager to reach this milestone. Arsene Wenger won his 500th match in charge, Harry Redknapp drew, and Alex Ferguson and David Moyes both lost.

INJURIES 

Cazorla, of course, is ruled out. So too are Wilshere and Welbeck.

POSSIBLE STARTING XI

Čech; Bellerin, Koscielny, Chambers, Mustafi, Maitland-Niles; Xhaka, Mkhitaryan, Iwobi, Özil; Lacazette.

GOONERSPHERE'S PREDICTION

3-1 to Arsenal. Walcott will score against his old club but Aubameyang will grab a debut goal from the bench.

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Head-to-head

• Everton's current run of 11 Premier League matches without a win at Arsenal is their longest against any club (D4, L7).
• The Toffees have registered only two wins in 22 meetings in all competitions, most recently in December 2016.
• Arsenal have scored 100 goals against Everton, the only club to do so against another Premier League team.

Arsenal

• Arsenal have won only three of their last 11 league matches (D5, L3).
• The Gunners began that run fourth in the table, two points ahead of fifth. Going into this weekend they are sixth, eight points adrift of fourth.
• They have never lost a Premier League game at the Emirates Stadium in February (W17, D4).
• The Gunners have made 11 errors leading to goals this season, the most in Europe's top five leagues.
• Only Watford (16) have lost more Premier League points from a winning position than Arsenal's 15 in 2017-18.
• Arsenal have won all eight Premier League home fixtures this season against teams below them in the table.
• They have scored in their last 26 league games at the Emirates since a 0-0 draw against Middlesbrough in October 2016.

Everton

• Everton's victory over Leicester in midweek ended a seven-match winless run (D3, L4). It is their only triumph in 12 attempts against teams above them in the table.
• The Toffees are winless in their last 27 Premier League away fixtures against clubs that finished in the top six last season.
• Everton have won a league-high 13 points from a losing position this campaign.
• Sam Allardyce is winless in 13 Premier League away games at Arsenal, losing the last eight in a row.
• This match is Allardyce's 500th in the Premier League, making him just the fifth manager to reach this milestone. Arsene Wenger won his 500th match in charge, Harry Redknapp drew, and Alex Ferguson and David Moyes both lost.