“116 touches, 6 long balls, 2 key passes and 5 tackles”- Mikel Arteta says ‘sensational’ superstar was his Man of the match for his superb performance against Everton- Not Saka, Not Trossard and minor Declan Rice

Alongside Trossard: Arsenal star with 116 touches was their best player v Everton

The Gunners squeezed out a narrow win at Goodison Park, with one man starring.

Arsenal finally overcame their Goodison Park demons today, squeezing out a narrow victory over a solid and steadfast Everton side thanks to a goal from Leandro Trossard.

Although far from a game for the footballing purists, there was plenty for the visitors to enjoy despite once again suffering from a lack of cutting edge.

In their four previous Premier League fixtures, a failure to see out games made routine results far more awkward, and the fear was that the same would occur on Merseyside despite their opponents suffering from a toothless run in front of goal.

How did Leandro Trossard play vs Everton?

It took a moment of magic to separate the sides, which always felt like it would come from Mikel Arteta’s men, as a well-worked corner routine allowed Trossard the space to strike a wicked left-footed effort in off the far post.

The Belgian explained the thought process behind the tactic after the game: “Obviously they [Everton] have a lot of tall guys & they’re good in the air, we know they’re good on set-pieces, so that’s where we wanted to exploit them. I think it helped & that was the idea behind it.”

His role in winning all three points saw him gain a well-earned match-best 7.9 Sofascore rating, as he replaced the injured Gabriel Martinelli with ease. However, such immeasurable creativity was further handed the foundation to thrive by the ever-dependable Declan Rice.

The £105m man was dominant yet again in the engine room, recording 98 touches and mustering a 93% pass accuracy, via Sofascore.

His work in breaking up the play was imperative in quelling the little threat of their hosts, with two interceptions and one clearance too.

Despite these two standout displays from the attack and the midfield, it was arguably one defensive titan who stole the show; Ben White.

How did Ben White play vs Everton?

It is a testament to White’s performance that Arsenal podcaster Sash boldly wrote: “Ben White has been our best player.”

All the figures do support such a notion, with the former Brighton and Hove Albion man shining at full-back both creativity and defensively.

His mammoth tally of 116 touches emphasises his consistent impact, whilst the one key pass recorded showcased his penchant for pushing forward.

Perhaps most importantly, the 25-year-old would win five of his duels, at an 83% success rate, via Sofascore. Given their opposition seldom had the ball, it was important to silence these threats before they could cause them any trouble.

As such, the 7.8 Sofascore rating made him comfortably the best performer of anyone who started, with his showing earning praise from others including Sash.

Writer Simon Collings gave his verdict in his post-match ratings too, after handing White a solid if harsh 7/10 rating: “A good solid performance from the right-back, who had licence to get forward as Everton sat deep. Looks at his best in this team at right-back.”

The defensive foundation he offered proved key in finally ending their hoodoo on Merseyside, with the hope being that Arteta’s outfit can now use this result as a springboard to get performances back to the level that saw them push for the title last term.