Arteta on Arsenal’s pen taker + Tarkowski nears ban

A good old-fashioned 1-0 to the Arsenal saw the Gunners ensure they went into Christmas in top spot in the Premier League.

Here are our Scout Notes from the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

ARTETA ON ARSENAL’S PENALTY TAKER(S)

It looked like Bukayo Saka‘s (£10.3m) run of six games without a blank (if you’re counting DefCon points!) was going to be extended on Merseyside on Saturday.

Around 25 minutes into a low-key contest, Jake O’Brien (£4.9m) made the inexplicable decision to Richard Gough Declan Rice‘s (£7.1m) corner. A penalty for Arsenal, then, but up stepped Viktor Gyokeres (£8.8m), and not Saka, to thump home his second Gunners spot-kick since his summer move.

It sounded like Mikel Arteta was surprised to see the Swede score from 12 yards, too…

“It did as well to me, I don’t know! I could see that there was some communication and in the end, they have to take ownership. They need to feel who is the best taker in that moment. They decided Vitkor and we scored, so great decision.” – Mikel Arteta to Match of the Day, when a reporter stated that Viktor Gyokeres taking the penalty would have surprised a few people

…although he did compliment the “great decision” to let him do so.

“Very happy for [Gyokeres]. They took ownership on the pitch between Martin [Odegaard], Bukayo [Saka] and him to decide who was the taker, and they made a great decision because Viktor put the ball in the back of the net.

“The confidence of the player because obviously he practises every day and he’s unbelievable at it and he put the ball in the back of the net, so I love when players take ownership and decide by themselves what is the best decision. That’s something really positive.” – Mikel Arteta on Arsenal’s penalty takers in his post-match presser

Gyokeres, meanwhile, reminded us that there are “a few that can take it” on Arsenal’s books.

“We spoke a little bit on the pitch. It was an easy talk and then I took it. To be fair, a few months ago I took one, and it was nice to take one again and to score.

“We don’t think about it too much, we just wait for the decision. Then you know it’s a penalty and you just wait for the normal procedure. Nothing special, really.” – Viktor Gyokeres to Arsenal’s in-house media

“It’s a few that can take it and, yeah, this time was me that took it.” – Viktor Gyokeres to Sky Sports

Four spot-kicks into 2025/26, here’s how things look:

Remember when it looked like Gyokeres had usurped Saka the last time, only for the winger to take the next one? The week-to-week uncertainty and on-field confabs will probably go on.

SAKA THREATENS…

Saka walked off with the Man of the Match award despite his blank. While some may question that decision, he undoubtedly was in the thick of things again.

He and the lively Jurrien Timber (£6.5m) combined well down the right, racking up 18 penalty box touches between them – that’s six more than Everton managed in total.

Saka’s total of four shots was also a game-best. One of them – teed up by Timber and pictured below – had Jordan Pickford (£5.5m) beaten, only for James Tarkowski (£5.5m) to block the effort near the line.

A game of ‘what might have been’, coupled with Gyokeres taking the penalty.

…BUT RICE DELIVERS

While Saka owners subsist on promising positions and the threat of points, Rice owners have tangible rewards.

The assist was jammy, as O’Brien’s moment of madness from a corner gifted Arsenal a penalty and Rice three points.

But Rice’s owners will point to the fact that Leandro Trossard (£6.9m) later wasted a big chance perfectly teed up by the England international, hitting the post from close range.

And there’s nothing fortunate about the DefCon points as he smashed through the 12-mark easily. That’s 14 DefCon points for the season, eight more than Saka – the equivalent of an extra goal and an assist.

“Unbelievable, his all-round play, his leadership on the pitch, the amount of balls that he regained as well that allowed us to run; he has been incredibly consistent this year again, and what a massive player for us he is.” – Mikel Arteta on Declan Rice

Above: Players in Everton v Arsenal who banked DefCon points

Piero Hincapie‘s (£5.5m) owners collected DefCon points for the fourth straight match. It wasn’t wholly convincing from the Ecuadorian, however, with his aimless long balls occasionally narking Arteta on the touchline. There’s no question that Gabriel Magalhaes (£6.2m) will be straight back in the side when fit.

Elsewhere in Arsenal miscellany, Eberechi Eze (£7.7m) remained unused for the first time since his summer move. The lukewarm Martin Odegaard (£7.8m) created a match-high four chances in his stead, one for Martin Zubimendi (£5.2m) for a shot that hit the post.

All in all, this wasn’t a vintage Arsenal attacking display – and it’s not the first time we’ve said that in 2025/26. You get the feeling that grinding out victories is as important to Arteta as winning with swagger. Expect the defensive double-up to be popular again from Gameweek 22, when the fixtures improve.

TARKOWSKI NEARS A BAN

Much was made about the drop-off in attacking prowess that Everton would experience with Iliman Ndiaye (£6.3m) and Kiernan Dewsbury–Hall (£5.1m) out. In came Dwight McNeil (£5.5m) and Charly Alcaraz (£5.2m), and while you’d be tempted to rush to judgment just on names alone, a clash with defensive masters Arsenal, who were 2.0-0.2 xG winners here, probably isn’t a fair test.

Gauge the understudies more after these upcoming favourable fixtures:

“You couldn’t put any words against the players [to say] that [they have] not worked hard enough, not committed, not determined. They were fantastic in all those aspects. Quality, you could maybe start asking that.” – David Moyes

A bit like a Poundland Arsenal, Everton defenders are probably more desirable than their attack-minded teammates.

We’ll have some Michael Keane (£4.7m) v Tarkowski analysis to come in the upcoming days but the deciding factor for many may be the latter now being on four yellow cards following a caution on Saturday. Vitalii Mykolenko (£4.9m) also reached that unwanted number against the Gunners.

Both centre-halves, and both central midfielders, banked DefCon points.

There was no further word on Dewsbury-Hall’s length of absence in any post-match interview. Moyes had been sketchy on the details on Friday.