Everton’s most memorable Premier League games v Arsenal: ‘Remember the name, Wayne Rooney’ & seven-goal rout
Everton and Arsenal have contested some brilliant Premier League fixtures down the years.
Everton welcome Arsenal to the Hill Dickinson Stadium this weekend.
David Moyes looks set to have Jack Grealish available against Arsenal, after the winger dropped a major hint of his readiness in a wonderful community video this week.
It’s a fixture that will see Mikel Arteta return to Everton, with the Spanish coach spending six-and-a-half seasons at Goodison Park as a player.
Everton drew 1-1 with Arsenal in their last Premier League outing in April, on an afternoon that marked 120 years to the day since the two sides first clashed.
Ahead of Saturday’s latest renewal, Goodison News looks back at some classic encounters between the two sides over the years.
Dennis Bergkamp shines as Arsenal hit Everton for seven
Arsenal recorded their joint-biggest Premier League win against Everton in May 2005.
Dennis Bergkamp was the architect behind Arsenal’s 3-0 lead at half-time, with the Dutchman being the provider of goals from Robin van Persie, Robert Pires and Patrick Vieira respectively.
Bergkamp got a goal of his own late in the second half, whilst a further strike from Pires as well as Mathieu Flamini and Edu getting on the scoresheet, Arsenal ran out 7-0 winners at Highbury in a day to forget for Toffees supporters.
Demarai Gray’s stoppage-time stunner seals dramatic comeback win for Everton
Despite this December 2021 clash not being the highest-scoring game the two sides have ever played out, it did provide a memorable Goodison Park moment.
Having seen a Richarlison goal ruled out for offside by VAR just before half-time, Martin Odegaard gave Arsenal the lead in added time at the end of the first half.
But, and only after seeing his second goal ruled out for offside by VAR just before the hour mark, Richarlison finally got his just rewards when heading home on 79 minutes to level the scores at 1-1.
Then came the magic moment, as Demarai Gray cut inside from the left, dropped his shoulder once, then twice before launching a missile from just outside the box that smashed off the far post and into the net.
It was a goal worthy of winning any match, and the fact it came in the 92nd minute and with multiple VAR frustrations in the game, it was nothing short of what Everton deserved that night.
Arsenal deliver opening-day demolition of Everton
On matchday one of the 2009-10 season, Arsenal gave their fans a treat.
A superb Denilson strike opened the scoring that day, with Thomas Vermaelen and William Gallas getting among the goals to leave the Gunners 3-0 to the good at the break.
Cesc Fabregas quickly resumed the rout three minutes into the second half, before adding his second of the match with 20 minutes to play.
Eduardo made it six on 88 minutes, before Louis Saha grabbed a late consolation goal for Everton in the second minute of added time.
- Everton’s last Premier League win vs Arsenal came in February 2023
- James Tarkowski scored that day in a 1-0 win for the Toffees
- Everton are unbeaten in their last two league games vs Arsenal, with 1-1 and 0-0 draws last season
A 6-1 win for Arsenal that afternoon; a day that many Toffees will wish they could forget.
Wayne Rooney announces himself on Premier League scene with iconic Everton goal
“Remember the name, Wayne Rooney!”
That line is synonymous with Premier League football fans everywhere, and it was an instruction rather than a prediction.
On an October Goodison Park afternoon in 2002, everyone in attendance witnessed the birth of a footballing icon taking place.
Freddie Ljunberg had given Arsenal an early lead, before Tomasz Radzinski levelled the game up just after 20 minutes.
The next, and decisive, goal wouldn’t come until the 89th minute, but it was one that was fully worth the wait.
A then-16-year-old Rooney came off the bench and hit a wonderful long-range strike that clipped the underside of the crossbar and into the Arsenal net.
Everton won the game 2-1, and it was a victory that not only snapped Arsenal’s 30-game unbeaten run in the Premier League, but truly altered the trajectory of Rooney’s career.
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