Alex Iwobi scored on his first Premier League start as Arsenal kept their title hopes alive with a 2-0 victory over Everton at Goodison Park.
The 19-year-old added to Danny Welbeck’s early opener to help the Gunners close the gap on leaders Leicester to eight points.
It was an impressive display from the visitors, who had gone three league games without a win ahead of their trip to Merseyside and been dumped out of the FA Cup and Champions League in the past week.
Everton had made a bright start with Seamus Coleman hitting the outside of the post with just over a minute on the clock.
But Arsenal quickly wrestled control and Welbeck struck the woodwork before making the crucial breakthrough on seven minutes.
Alexis Sanchez was the architect; the Chilean combining well with Mesut Ozil and playing a superbly-timed pass into the path of Welbeck, who coolly rounded Joel Robles before slotting home.
It was almost two soon after as the busy Sanchez was denied by Robles having been allowed too much room to shoot on the edge of the Everton box.
With the in-form Romelu Lukaku well-marshalled, Everton were struggling to create any chances and struggling to contain Arsenal’s pacy attack.
And it was little surprise when Arsene Wenger’s side made it two five minutes before the break through Iwobi.
The youngster, preferred ahead of Theo Walcott after impressing against Barcelona in midweek, marked his full league debut in style as he raced on to Hector Bellerin’s ball over the top and fired past Robles.
A 2-0 lead was the least Arsenal deserved and Everton boss Roberto Martinez would have been demanding a major improvement at the break.
But the Toffees were little better in the second half and a fightback never looked on the cards as they failed to create any chances of note.
Arsenal were content to keep hold of the ball and frustrate their hosts and they comfortably closed out a 2-0 victory to reignite their title charge.
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Source: BBC