Arsenal opened up a five-point lead at the top of the Premier League as Gabriel Martinelli struck twice in a 4-0 thrashing of relegation-threatened Everton at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday.
The hosts were initially frustrated by their struggling visitors but goals by Bukayo Saka and Martinelli shortly before halftime 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 Brazilian Martinelli grabbed his second to complete the rout.
A third victory in succession since losing at home to City lifted Mikel Arteta’s side to 60 points from 25 games with champions 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 was almost a formality.
They remained third from bottom with 21 points having played a game more than all the teams around them.
While Everton are haunted by the looming prospect of a first relegation from the Premier League, Arsenal are beginning to envisage a first title since 2004, although they still have to visit Manchester City in April.
“I am delighted with the win and the way we played after the first 25 minutes,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said.
Everton stunned Arsenal 1-0 in Sean Dyche’s first game in charge in early February and for 40 minutes they did an extremely effective job at nullifying them again.
But with half-time looming they caved in. Dangerman Saka had been relatively quiet but he burst into life to make the breakthrough.
Given far too much time to turn after receiving a pass from Odegaard on the right edge of the penalty area, he smashed an angled shot into the roof of the net.
Reds climb up
Defender Virgil van Dijk and forward Mohamed Salah scored second-half goals as Liverpool battled to a 2-0 home win over Wolverhampton Wanderers to boost their hopes of European football next season.
Liverpool climbed into sixth spot in the table on 39 points, ahead of Fulham on goal difference and with a game in hand, but the home side were forced to work hard on a rainy night at Anfield.
The best chances of the opening half fell to Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott, who steered a header just wide and then followed that up with a stoppage-time shot that was turned away for a corner.
Van Dijk broke the deadlock in the 73rd minute, forcing a save with his initial header, before Jota put the rebound back across the goal for the Dutchman to head home.
