Arsenal and Everton played out the first draw at the Emirates this season in a thrilling game. Here are five things we learned from the tie.
1) Wenger got the selection wrong
Going into the game it was obvious how Arsenal needed to go about things – play wide and get Theo Walcott to exploit the space behind stand-in left-back Bryan Oviedo. However, he didn’t deploy the winger and it wasn’t until the 70th minute until Walcott was deployed and sure enough he was the provider for Ozil’s goal.
2) Barkley is brilliant
The young midfielder completely bossed the game from the middle, especially in the first half. In the first 45 minutes, Barkley won both his take ons, made an interception and completed 82% of his passes. He was brought off with seconds left of injury time to a standing ovation.
3) Premier League title still open
The draw denied Arsenal the chance to go seven points at the top of the table and in turn leaves it more exciting to the neutral. The gap at the top is enough to keep the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool motivated.
4) Walcott can create
As touched upon, Walcott claimed an assist. The rapid winger is often criticised for his final ball but his cushioned header for Ozil was brilliant.
5) Deulofeu is a real talent
The teenager changed the game when he came on. His fizzed effort flew past Wojciech Szczesny with about 5 minutes to play and he continued to trouble the Gunners’ defence until the final whistle.