Arsenal 2-2 Everton
Tomas Rosicky: a late goal from the substitute
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By Darren Estwick. |  |
Saturday, 09, Jan 2010 04:52
By James Christie.
A deflected goal deep in injury time helped Arsenal salvage a point against Everton at a snowy Emirates stadium.
The result meant that Arsene Wenger's men missed the chance to overtake Manchester United and move into second place in the Premier League.
But the Gunners might well be relieved to have come away with any points as both of their equalising goals owed a lot to deflections.
Everton first took the lead through Leon Osman in the twelfth minute, the same player deflecting the ball past his goalkeeper following a Denilson shot in the 28th minute.
The Merseyside team seemed to have clinched the game in the 81st minute with the goal of the game from Stephen Pienaar but Arsenal substitute Tomas Rosicky struck in the second minute of stoppage time, with a little help from Everton's unlucky Lucas Neill.
The game started with light snow falling on the floodlit Emirates pitch and the home side nearly caught a cold in the eighth minute, when a fine pass from Stephen Pienaar gave Louis Saha a good opportunity to score inside the penalty box - a chance the gloved-up player skied over the bar.
But Everton were clearly warming to the task of trying to gain revenge for the 6-1 defeat Arsenal meted out to them on the season's opening day.
In the 12th minute, debutant Landon Donovan, on loan until the end of March, took a corner which his LA Galaxy team mate David Beckham would have been proud of. His delivery was met by a spring-heeled header from the unmarked Leon Osman. One-nil to the visitors.
The goal brought little luck to the scorer or the goal provider.
Donovan soon gave possession away in his own half - wastefulness which would have gifted the Gunners an equaliser had Leighton Baines not hooked clear after William Gallas lifted the ball over the advancing Tim Howard.
Then Osman deflected a Denilson shot past the wrong-footed Howard after some slick exchanges of passes between Andrey Arshavin and Eduardo set up a shooting chance just outside the Toffees' penalty area.
Everton to their credit did not let the goal dishearten them; threatening through Phil Neville crosses while Arsenal posed danger through dribbling and short passing.
The second half started in blizzard conditions, with chances for both teams coming as thick and as fast as the swirling snow.
Eduardo's willingness to take on players was causing Everton problems, one of his runs resulted in the anonymous Aaron Ramsey beating Tim Howard to the ball before the goalkeeper recovered to block the Welshman's cross.
A series of substitutions altered the balance of the game, the increasingly-assured Donovan being hooked by Everton and Rosicky replacing Ramsey.
Tim Howard had to punch the ball away from Rosicky after a first-time Bacary Sagna cross as the home supporters found their voice.
Phil Neville then performed heroics after an Arsenal corner, blocking a Thomas Vermaelen shot and then clearing up with Denilson sniffing a chance to score from the rebound.
Arshavin later skinned Lucas Neill for pace before his shot from a tight angle was blocked.
With ten minutes remaining Everton struck. Tim Cahill showed strength and patience to hold on to the ball long enough to pick out Steven Pienaar who ran from inside his own half to collect the ball. The lung-busting run was worth it as he dinked the ball over Manuel Almunia with a coolness reminiscent of Arsenal 1989 hero Michael Thomas.
Three minutes later it was Blues' sub James Vaughan's turn to find himself one-on-one with Almunia, though this time the goalkeeper managed to save.
In the third minute of added time, Arsenal's brave policy of persisting with their one-touch passing paid off when Abou Diaby set up Rosicky whose shot was given the extra height it needed to go over Tim Howard and into the net after coming off Lucas Neill.
The snow finally stopped falling but the end-to-end action continued until the final whistle - Arsenal could well have snatched victory after an Arshavin cross caused panic in the Everton penalty box.