---
title: "Arsenal v Everton preview: depleted champions look to extend dominance over the Toffees"
canonical: "https://readarsenal.com/2026/10/24/arsenal-v-everton-preview-depleted-champions-look-to-extend-dominance-over-the-toffees/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Lucie Turner"
section: "Arsenal Match Previews"
published: "2026-10-24T13:50:00Z"
modified: "2026-10-24T14:42:25Z"
---

# Arsenal v Everton preview: depleted champions look to extend dominance over the Toffees

**Arsenal host Everton at the Emirates Stadium today with Bukayo Saka missing and a point to prove after a bruising midweek in Munich.** The Premier League champions sit second in the table. A stuttering Everton arrives looking for a response to their first defeat of the season.

## **Arsenal’s form and the Munich hangover**

Mikel Arteta’s side have started the campaign strongly, collecting 18 points from their opening seven league games. They beat Nottingham Forest 1-0 in their last league outing. Bouncing back from a defeat at Brighton before the international break with a four-game unbeaten run.

Arsenal extended their winning streak on Wednesday with a hard-fought 2-2 draw against Bayern Munich in the Champions League. Saka went off injured with a muscular injury in the first ten minutes at the Allianz Arena.

The extent of his injury is still to be determined. Bruno Guimaraes made his first appearance of the season for Arsenal after being signed in the summer from Newcastle United. He played in midfield alongside Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard.

## **Team news: injuries at the Emirates**

Saka will be missing, but so will William Saliba as he continues his recovery from a back complaint. Christos Tzolis has a hamstring injury to overcome. The good news, however, is that Piero Hincapie has recovered from his ankle injury and is back in contention.

With the third game in six days, Arteta may try to bring some fresh faces into midfield and attack with Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke to choose from.

## **Everton’s unbeaten start comes to an end**

Everton made a perfect start to the season, but Chelsea brought their run to an end last week with a 2-0 win at the Hill Dickinson Stadium. Pedro Neto scored both goals. David Moyes admitted afterwards that his side offered little attacking threat, managing just six shots on target.

The Toffees are sitting on 10 points from 7 games after starting the weekend in 8th. They’ve had a very draw-heavy start to the season with 4 draws in 7 games. However, they do have two familiar faces in their squad, as Christian Norgaard and Ainsley Maitland-Niles are both ex-Arsenal players.

## **A fixture that favours the Gunners**

History is firmly on Arsenal’s side. Everton have not beaten them in the league since February 2023, and Arsenal are unbeaten in their last seven league meetings between the sides. Their most recent home meeting ended 2-0 in March 2026.

## **What to expect**

Arsenal will be expected to dominate possession and territory against an Everton side who will probably sit deep and look to counter. Moyes has a habit of making his sides difficult to beat, as those four draws show. They have yet to win away from home this season. For Arsenal, anything less than three points would be a setback in the title race.