Arsenal v Everton player ratings: Saka 9, Martinelli 9; Gueye 4, Onana 5

Martinelli brace and Saka and Odegaard strikes keep Arsenal top of the Premier League while Everton fall deeper into relegation trouble

ARSENAL RATINGS: Aaron Ramsdale - 9, A clean sheet for Ramsdale who did well to keep the score level following two good chances for Maupay. Made an excellent save in the last minute of the game. Getty Images

Ben White - 7. A solid night on the right side of defence. Stuck to his task well but didn't do much going forward. AP Photo

William Saliba - 8. Hardly put a foot wrong all through the game. Did well against the threat of Maupay. Getty Images

Gabriel Magalhaes - 8. Dominant in the air and made a last-ditch block on Maupay in the 28th minute. Combined well with Saliba to limit the Toffees. Getty Images

Oleksandr Zinchenko - 8. A little loose in possession but showed excellent vision to pick out Saka in the box for the Gunners’ first goal. Inverted well to help the home side outnumber the Toffees in midfield. Getty Images

Jorginho - 7. Almost cost Arsenal a goal when he was caught in possession in the fifth minute. His diagonal passing was crucial against Everton’s low-block defence. Reuters

Granit Xhaka - 6. Found himself in dangerous positions a number of times but lacked the creative ability to make things happen. Tracked back well to support the defence. Reuters

Martin Odegaard - 8. Far from his creative best in the first half but still played a crucial role in the Gunners’ second goal. Scored Arsenal’s third after excellent work from Trossard. Getty Images

Gabriel Martinelli - 9. Did well to stay onside and find space to score the Gunners’ second goal. Scored the home side’s fourth after being picked out by Nketiah. EPA

Bukayo Saka - 9. Expertly turned and hit the ball high into the net with his weaker right foot when he was picked out in the box by Zinchenko. Did well to poke the ball off Gueye’s feet and into the path of Martinelli for Arsenal’s second goal. EPA

Leandro Trossard - 8. Once again chosen up front in place of Nketiah, Trossard led the line well and dropped into spaces behind the attack to link up play. Showed excellent vision to set up Odegaard for the third. AFP

SUBS: Thomas Partey (Jorginho, 46') - 7. Came on in place of Jorginho at half time and kept things ticking in the centre of the pitch. Helped the Gunners dominate play. PA

Eddie Nketiah (Trossard, 73') - N/A. Should have scored when he was played through on goal by Odegaard. Smartly set-up Martinelli for the Gunners’ fourth. Reuters

Fabio Viera (Xhaka, 73') - N/A. Impressed after coming on with his creative play. Could have ended the game with an assist or two. Getty Images

Emile Smith Rowe (Saka, 82') - N/A. Almost scored his first goal since his return from injury two minutes after coming on. EPA

Kieran Tierney (Zinchenko, 82') - N/A. Stuck to his defensive task well in the closing stages. Getty Images

EVERTON RATINGS: Jordan Pickford - 5. Could do very little about Saka’s thunderous opener or Martinelli’s second in the first half. Did well to deny Nketiah, but again couldn't have done anything about the Gunners’ other two goals. AP Photo

Seamus Coleman - 6. Played his part in helping to limit the home side’s advances on the left flank. Hooked off for the more energetic Godfrey early in the second half. PA

Micheal Keane - 5. Struggled to keep track of Arsenal’s tricky attackers. Was nowhere near Odegaard for the Gunners’ third. PA

James Tarkowski - 5. Got dragged out of possession by Martinelli in the build up to Arsenal’s opener. Picked up a yellow card for a foul on Odegaard in the 50th minute, and lost his man for the fourth goal. PA

Vitaliy Mykolenko - 6. Kept Saka quiet for a lot of the first half and overlapped to good effect, but crucially lost Saka for the Gunners’ opening the scoring. AFP

Idrissa Gueye - 4. Got his pocket picked by Saka in the build-up to the Gunners’ second goal. Hooked off at half time for Mason Holgate. AFP

Amadou Onana - 5. Struggled to assert himself as much as he did when both teams met at Goodison Park less than a month ago. Looked lost in the second half. Reuters

Abdoulaye Doucoure - 4. Looked far from his best when in possession. Could have done better to support the defence in the second half. Reuters

Alex Iwobi - 5. Instrumental in helping the Toffees move the ball upfield early in the game. Struggled to make an impact in the second half as the Gunners dominated play. AP Photo

Dwight McNeil - 6. Did well to set Maupay up in the eighth minute. Had a good shot saved by Ramsdale in the 62nd minute. Reuters

Neal Maupay - 6. Had two early chances to give Everton the lead but failed to convert either. Struggled to get involved in the second half. Getty Images

SUBS: Mason Holgate (Gueye, 46') - 5. Brought on to provide added security for the defence but got overrun by the Gunners’ impressive midfield. Reuters

Demarai Gray (Maupay, 61') - 5. Worked hard to help out in defence but struggled to make any impact in attack. Getty Images

Ben Godfrey (Coleman, 61') - 4. Lucky to have escaped a red card when he carelessly lifted his studs while trying to pry the ball from Trossard. Got caught out of position for the Gunners’ fourth goal. Getty Images

Tom Davies (Doucoure, 79') - N/A. Almost grabbed a consolation goal for the Toffees with the last kick of the match. Reuters

Olakunle Afolabi

Title-chasing Arsenal opened up a five-point lead at the top of the Premier League as Gabriel Martinelli's double eased them to a 4-0 thrashing of relegation-threatened Everton at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday.

READ MORE
Manchester United v West Ham FA Cup ratings: Garnacho 8, Maguire 6; Aguerd 4, Benrahma 8

The hosts were initially frustrated by their struggling visitors but goals by Bukayo Saka and Martinelli shortly before half time put them in command as they took maximum advantage of their game in hand over Manchester City.

Captain Martin Odegaard made it 3-0 with a close-range finish in the 71st minute before Martinelli grabbed his second goal of the evening to complete the rout.

A third victory in succession since losing at home to City lifted Arsenal to 60 points from 25 games with City on 55.

Everton, who now have only one victory from their last 27 league visits to Arsenal, had actually looked capable of taking something from the game.

But once they fell behind a 14th league defeat of the season became almost a formality and they remain third from bottom with 21 points having played a game more than the teams around them.

Updated: March 02, 2023, 6:12 AM