Arsenal give up on Premier League title as Mikel Arteta puts Champions League plan in place | OneFootball

Gunners priorities now clear to see as boss rests start for Real Madrid showdown

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It has felt for a while like Arsenal’s season is all about their Champions League showdown with Real Madrid - and this draw at Everton only reinforced that.

There are just three more games at Goodison Park before Everton move into the new home, but this clash with Arsenal will not live long in anyone’s memory.

It was a flat affair, with large parts of it scrappy and disjointed. A draw in the end felt fitting, as neither side played like they really wanted to win it.

The gap to Liverpool, in case anyone is still wondering, now stands at 11 points and Arne Slot’s side have a game in hand, too.

Declan Rice was one of few regular starters

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For the Gunners, their season is now all about the Champions League and their quarter-final with Real Madrid.

That begins on Tuesday, when Arsenal host Real in the first leg, and it was clear Mikel Arteta had one eye on then.

Arteta made five changes from the side that beat Fulham on Tuesday. Jorginho and Raheem Sterling started a Premier League game for the first time since February.

Jakub Kiwior was another who earned a rare start - his first in the league since December - and he was one of the few positives.

Kiwior will hope to keep his place against Real Madrid, although Ben White also started here and got through 60 minutes.

Leandro Trossard played as the no9 and impressed

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Arsenal were understandably disjointed given the number of changes. They threatened early on with set-pieces and it was not until Leandro Trossard’s goal that they finally showed some quality. Raheem Sterling led the counter and found Trossard, who finished well with his weaker left foot.

Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli were brought on at half time, with the former continuing to get minutes in his legs as he makes his comeback.

It was Everton, though, who started the second half brighter and they were quickly back on level terms.

Myles Lewis-Skelly was judged to have brought down Jack Harrison as the two battled for the ball.

VAR checked the incident, but told referee Darren England to stick with his on-field call. It was clumsy defending by Lewis-Skelly, however the penalty felt soft, too.

Neither side kicked on from there, even if the goal sparked the fans at Goodison Park into life. Declan Rice had a free-kick saved, Martin Odegaard scuffed a shot inside the box and Mikel Merino headed a cross wide.

If they weren’t already, all eyes for Arsenal are now on Real Madrid.