Arsenal 2 Everton 0 player ratings: Who scored highest at the Emirates?
Olivier Giroud opened the scoring for Arsenal in a comfortable victory - but did was he the man of the match in numerical terms?
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Your support makes all the difference.Olivier Giroud, along with Per Mertesacker, has been a lightning-rod for Arsenal supporters' frustrations over the past week.
A limp display that mirrored that of his team in the anaemic 3-1 Champions League defeat to Monaco, though, was righted today as the France striker swept home from a corner to put Arsene Wenger's side on the dual carriageway to victory over Everton.
Tomas Rosicky added a second late on with a deflected shot that left Tim Howard nonplussed, as Everton's hard work came to nothing.
It was not pretty - but losing a second game in a row would have been far uglier than a gun metal grey 2-0 win.
But who was the man of the match? Click through our ratings gallery below...
As they had done against Crystal Palace, Arsenal ground their way to a pestle and mortar victory, dulling the sheen of an Everton side coming back from their own, successful, week in Europe.
Roberto Martinez's side should have taken the lead when Romelu Lukaku ran through on goal, only to be thwarted by a sprawling David Ospina.
Towards half time, the Belgian, scorer of a double in midweek as well as the header that plucked a point from the bowels of despair against Leicester last Sunday, ran through again. This time he was thwarted by Gabriel Paulista, a replacement for the hapless Per Mertesacker. This time Everton paid for their profligacy.
Two minutes removed from that incident, a Santi Cazorla corner was allowed to travel halfway towards Haringey. In the end, it met the boot of Giroud, who produced a trademark incisive swept finish to put Arsenal ahead.
Everton's glass is as empty as it is confusingly full - one win in seven league games, yet just two defeats to boot - plus progress in the Europa League.
Here, despite toil that would not have looked out of place in the Grapes of Wrath, they were second-best throughout, as Arsenal, through their suave Frenchman and twinkle-toed Czech, got back on track in an increasingly fraught bunfight for the Champions League.
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