“Arsenal’s risk falls flat as faltering title bid suffers another setback against Everton – 5 key takeaways”

Arsenal Only Have Themselves to Blame as Title Hopes Suffer Another Blow Ahead of Madrid Clash

As Arsenal prepared for their Champions League showdown with Real Madrid, they were left ruing their own mistakes in a frustrating outing against Everton. Mikel Arteta’s side started smartly and controlled the first half with poise, but a needless penalty handed the hosts a lifeline.

Leandro Trossard opened the scoring after a swift counter-attack, capitalizing on a defensive lapse despite Everton having enough players back to cover him and Raheem Sterling. Trossard nearly doubled the lead in first-half stoppage time, but Jordan Pickford denied him with a strong save. Arsenal were nearly punished for not converting that chance when Iliman Ndiaye found space right before the break, though his finish let him down.

Arteta turned to his bench in the second half, introducing Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, but defensive issues became the bigger concern. Goalkeeper David Raya had a nervy moment outside his box before Myles Lewis-Skelly conceded a penalty. Ndiaye stepped up and calmly slotted home from the spot to level the match.

With the score tied, Arsenal couldn’t find a winner. Their Premier League title hopes, already fading, suffered another blow as more points slipped away. In a tight game with few clear opportunities, they failed to reclaim control after the equaliser.

Mirror Football breaks down five key talking points from the match at Goodison Park:

1. Lewis-Skelly’s Growing Pains

Myles Lewis-Skelly has shown flashes of promise since breaking into the first team, but his inexperience showed again. Following his red card against West Ham, the teenager conceded a penalty here after being caught on the wrong side of Jack Harrison and making contact with his arm. VAR backed the referee’s decision. At just 18, mistakes are to be expected—what matters now is how he responds, and early signs have been encouraging.

2. Kiwior’s Real Madrid Audition

With Gabriel sidelined for the rest of the season, Jakub Kiwior is likely to face Real Madrid next. Starting against Everton helped him gain fitness, but Tuesday’s match will be a much sterner test. He dealt reasonably well with Beto in the first half, though communication around the penalty incident could’ve been better. He’ll need to be flawless to handle the firepower of Mbappé, Vinicius Jr., and Rodrygo.

3. White Returns with Madrid in Mind

Ben White returned to the starting XI at right-back, with Jurrien Timber not yet fully fit after his brief appearance against Fulham. This was White’s first league start since November after undergoing knee surgery. While his time on the pitch was limited, his partnership with Saka—which proved effective last season—could be key on Tuesday.

4. Sterling’s Subtle Impact

With his Champions League suspension in place, Raheem Sterling was expected to feature against Everton, and he did just that. Starting for the first time in over a month, the winger grabbed an assist after capitalizing on an Everton mistake and setting up Trossard. Though his future at Arsenal remains uncertain, contributions like this may prove valuable in the season’s closing stages.

5. Arteta’s Rotation Gamble Falls Flat

Looking to preserve key players for Real Madrid, Arteta rotated his squad—but the backups didn’t deliver. While the substitutions of Saka and Martinelli may have been planned, even captain Martin Ødegaard was needed late on. Jorginho, who wore the armband on the day, was booked for protesting the penalty and eventually taken off—possibly as a precaution.

Injuries have thinned Arsenal’s squad, putting more strain on those still available. Tuesday’s European clash will reveal just how much that physical toll is affecting them