Arsenal v Everton

It’s 16 Premier League games since Marco Silva presided over a clean sheet.

And if ever a manager needed to break that hoodoo it’s him on Sunday.

Silva suffered his first loss as Toffees’ boss in a miserable show against West Ham United on game week five.

Two first-half goals from former Blues target Andriy Yarmolenko and a second half strike from Marko Arnautovic condemned Everton to a  3-1 defeat at Goodison.

That result, following a home draw with Huddersfield Town before the international break, well and truly ended Silva’s honeymoon period.

Now the Blues must pick themselves up, dust themselves off and get started on the real hard work.

If Silva is to add to the measly one league victory this term he must do what no Everton manager has done before — win at the Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners got off to a stuttering start post-Wenger, with Unai Emery tasting defeat in his opening two matches in charge,

But it was against the last two Champions of the Premier League, so it wasn’t the end of the world in North London.

Since then it has been smooth sailing for the Spaniard, winning four on the trot, three of those coming in the league and a 4-2 victory over Vorskla in the Europa League.

Everton’s attacking players have had a torrid time in front of goal since Richarlison’s red card at Bournemouth, but if the Ukrainians proved anything in their Group E opener, it is that Arsenal are susceptible at the back.

Neither Petr Cech nor Bernd Leno have been able to keep a clean sheet so far.

Everton have experienced torrid times against the Gunners throughout history, from 6-1s, to 7-0s, last season was perhaps the worst Arsenal side in years but they still managed to put 10 past Everton across two games.

In the 210 meetings between the clubs, Arsenal have come out victorious in half of them (105), with 60 Everton wins and 45 draws.

One to watch 

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will be hoping to better his season tally of three when he comes up against the Blues’ lacklustre back-line.

No defender would fancy going one-on-one with the Gabonese forward, the former Borussia Dortmund frontman has blistering pace that few can match.

Arsenal’s record signing marked his debut with a goal against Everton in that 5-1 drubbing in February.

Team news 

Henrikh Mkhitaryan will be assessed prior to the game with the midfielder picking up a knock in the EL.

The visitors will finally be able to welcome back Richarlison after he served his three-game ban but Phil Jagielka, Andre Gomes and Seamus Coleman are still out.

Yerry Mina could be in line for his much awaited debut.

Man in the middle 

Jonathan Moss will handle the cards for Sunday’s late kick-off. In the six games he has taken charge of so far, he has already shown 17 yellows and dismissed two people. Expect bookings.