Arsenal v Everton: Preview, predicted line-ups & Saka injury doubt

Arsenal go into Saturday's game two points clear of Brighton in second and three behind Manchester City. They have recovered well from their one defeat, a 3-0 loss at Brighton on 19 September.

Since then they have beaten Leeds 2-1 at home and won 1-0 at Nottingham Forest last Sunday. Neither was comfortable. Both were wins.

Everton are in a different kind of run. They sit eighth on 10 points after a 2-0 home defeat to Chelsea last Saturday, and they have drawn four of their seven league games.

The visitors have not been beaten heavily, but they have not been winning either. Arsenal at the Emirates is a stern test of that pattern.

Arsenal have won six of their seven league games. Their home record is perfect: three wins from three, with seven goals scored (2.3 per game) and two conceded. They have kept four clean sheets in total, including three away from home.

The attack has been less prolific than the table suggests. Arsenal have scored 11 goals in seven games, 1.6 per match, and only one of those games has gone over 2.5 goals. They win narrowly and defend well. Four of their seven results have been by a single goal.

Everton sit eighth, level on 10 points with Brentford and Leeds, and two points behind fifth-placed Liverpool. They have scored eight goals and conceded seven in seven games, a goal difference of +1.

Their away form is the concern for this trip. They have drawn all three of their road games, scoring three goals and conceding three. They have won twice, both at home.

Goals have come late for them. Three of their eight have arrived between the 76th and 90th minute, which suggests they stay in games. They have failed to score in two of their seven, and none of their games has gone over 2.5 goals.

Arsenal have won six and lost one of their seven league games, with the only defeat at Brighton. Everton have won two, drawn four and lost one. On results, Arsenal are comfortably in better shape. Their last two league wins were by one goal, though, and Everton's draws have mostly been tight affairs. Everton have a higher shot count over those games (14.43 per game to Arsenal's 12.43), so the gap on the pitch is narrower than the gap in the table. Arsenal's edge is that they concede so little.

Arsenal are second on 18 points from seven games, three behind Manchester City and two clear of Brighton in third. Everton are eighth on 10 points from seven, two behind Liverpool in fifth and three behind Chelsea in fourth.

A win keeps Arsenal on City's tail and builds a cushion over Brighton and Chelsea. A defeat would be a rare dent in what has been a strong start at home. For Everton, a first away win of the season would move them into the European places. A draw would be their fifth of the campaign.

Arsenal have won seven of the last 10 meetings. Two were drawn and Everton won one. Those games have averaged 2.2 goals, with both teams scoring in 30% and over 2.5 goals in 30%. The last meeting finished Arsenal 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium on 14 March 2026. Before that, Arsenal won 1-0 at Everton on 20 December 2025.

The pattern is low-scoring and one-sided. Three of the last five meetings ended 1-0 or 2-0 to one side or goalless, and Everton have not scored in three of those five. That points towards under 2.5 goals and Both Teams to Score: No. A 2-0 or 1-0 Arsenal win fits both the history and this season's form.

The biggest gap is defensive quality. Arsenal's recent xG against is 0.80 per game, Everton's 1.39. Arsenal have also averaged 61.3% possession to Everton's 47.1%, so they should have the ball for long spells.

The attacking gap is smaller. Arsenal's xG for is 1.71 against Everton's 1.35, and Everton have 5.0 shots on target per game to Arsenal's 4.43. Arsenal are not overwhelming opponents. They are just harder to score against. Expect Everton to be dangerous on the break and in set pieces. The question is whether they can convert.

Everton have mostly used a 4-2-3-1 this season too.

Arsenal: Raya; White, Mosquera, Gabriel, Calafiori; Rice, Zubimendi; Madueke, Odegaard, Eze; Gyokeres

Everton: Pickford; O'Brien, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Garner, Dewsbury-Hall; Dibling, Grealish, Armstrong; Barry

Arsenal v Everton kicks off at 15:00 BST on Saturday 24 October at the Emirates Stadium. The game is not shown live in the UK because it falls inside the Saturday 3pm blackout. Highlights will be on Match of the Day, and our live blog will follow the game.

The value is in the goals markets rather than the result. Arsenal are 2/5 to win, which is short. But neither side has played a game over 3.5 goals this season, and Everton's goals-per-game average of 1.1 is modest. The under 2.5 and both teams not to score prices offer better returns. The bet builder pairs the win with an Under 3.5 and a goalscorer.