By James Dall Last updated: 4th May 2008
Full-time: It is all over. Hardly a classic here at Emirates Stadium. Everton must avoid defeat in their final game of the season to claim fifth now. Thanks for all your comments. Stay with skysports.com for player ratings or why not tune into our Championship commentary.
Added time: Three minutes of injury-time to be played.
88 - Laye change: Adebayor is replaced by Senderos as Wenger looks to tighten things up.
86 - Easy: Fernandes tries is luck from a long way out with Lehmann gathering easily.
84 - Pushing: Everton are trying hard for the leveller but Arsenal look dangerous on the counter.
81 - Everton changes: Anichebe and Yakubu are on for Johnson and Carsley.
77 - GOAL!!! Arsenal score! Bendtner breaks the deadlock with a top-notch header as he connects with Traore's excellent cross from the left.
Joking: Vikrant Pal has kiddingly quipped that Eboue should be awarded man of the match through my player ratings after the game. Just as Vikrant's comment came through the Ivorian ballooned one well over.
Arrangement: Traore is on the left wing, while Walcott is on the right with Eboue at full-back.
69 - Changes: Fabianski is replaced by Lehmann - a fond farewell perhaps - and Toure is off for Traore.
68 - Performer: What are your thoughts on who should be awarded man of the match? Lescott has been excellent, while Gallas has been solid also. Let me know.
Contact info: Don't forget you can drop me a line at james.dall@bskyb.com or via the feedback button in the scorecentre.
64 - Danger: Fabianski is brave to snap up a dangerous cross from the right.
Birthday boy: Cesc Fabregas is all smiles next to his mate Flamini as the Spaniard celebrates his 21st birthday.
61 - Lull: Moyes must be delighted with the way things are going. Arsenal are not creating and his side are heading for Uefa Cup football.
58 - Lescott: This time he finds himself well up the field, driving a low ball across the face of goal. No one is there for the Toffees though.
57 - Advanced: Everton enjoy a spell of possession and almost break through only for Gallas to defend well.
55 - Let down: After a promising first few minutes of the second period, things have returned to their first-half blandness. Sorry, folks.
Switcheroo: Eboue and Toure have swapped positions for the moment, with Toure in the more advanced role.
50 - Key: Yobo does really well to flick Bendtner's cross to safety. Everton have 10 behind the ball at present.
49 - Deflections: Gallas pokes across goal and Yobo's clearance cannons off a team-mate for a corner.
48 - Chinned: Adebayor looks to latch on to a long ball from the back but Howard is off his line to intercept. The ball catches the American in the face though, but luckily falls to one of his defenders.
Contact info: Don't forget you can drop me a line at james.dall@bskyb.com or via the feedback button in the scorecentre. Or, if this game is not for you, my colleague Steve Pass is currently typing like mad on his live commentary on the Championship events.
Underway: Arsenal kick-off the second half.
Thoughts at the break: Cian Mac Giolla has backed my thoughts on nationality being irrelevant and talent clearer key factor, Kate Smith has branded Eboue 'useless' while Sean Mack is tipping Phil Neville to score an 'amazing' deflection.
Half-time: It is level at the break in a rather dreary encounter. The game needs a spark. Everton will be more than happy with how things stand at present, while the home supporters will demand more in the second period. I am off for break, before searching through your comments and attaching a shiny photo of the in-game 'action'.
45 + 1 - Chance: Eboue finally does something right and delivers a cracking ball from the right. Adebayor stretches but can only head wide.
44 - Smart: Neville covers well to clear after Adebayor had skipped past Jagielka. Gilberto then heads over from the resulting corner. And yes, Jack Lacha, it is a rather dull game! I am doing my best to keep you amused though.
41 - Mistakes: There have been a number of sloppy passes by both sides in the last few minutes. MIght one prove costly before the break?
Contact info: Don't forget you can drop me a line at james.dall@bskyb.com or via the feedback button in the scorecentre.
Homegrown: Rob Ward, a long with many, has got in contact urging Wenger to buy English players. Surely it should always go down to the talent and not the nationality?
Eboue: The Ivorian is having a poor game, not helped by Lescott, who has having a terrific one.
34 - Action: Well things certainly have livened up here following a number of incidents. In other news, cheer up Patrick Yoon, who has had a rotten day by the sounds of it.
32 - Top stop: Bendtner rolls the ball into Eboue, who lacks urgency, and his strike is deflected wide.
30 - Backpass? Everton have appeals for a backpass waved away as Gallas appears to tap the ball to his keeper. Strong claims I feel, but referee Wiley was having none of it.
29 - Low down: Toure finds Adebayor with a long driven pass. The Togo striker's effort lacks power though, and Howard saves comfortably.
28 - Off the line: Denilson clears off the line from the corner. Then Lescott is booked for kicking the ball out of Fabianski's hands - not sure why the defender did that!
27 - Saved: Johnson is through but Fabianski stops his low effort with his feet. The Gunners clear for a corner...
Chat: With little going on in the game, I shall keep the chatter going. Dave Bright feels Steven Brown's shopping list (see below) is rather ambitious. He is sure Wenger will concentrate on keeping Hleb and Flamini, rather than going in search of fresh faces.
Away win: Craig Boyle feels Arsenal will miss Sagna and Hleb today, and he is sure Everton will nick all three points.
Summer spending: Steven Brown has urged me to hand Arsen Wenger the following shopping list: David Villa, Franck Ribery, Mexes, Gomes, Gareth Barry and Ashley Young. All very good players, Steven, but surely their combined cost would be a fortune!
19 - Athlete: Arsenal play out from the back with Clichy demonstrating terrific stamina to bomb from his corner flag to the other end of the pitch.
18 - Decent: Bendtner takes up a great position and gets his head up to weight a ball into the path of Gilberto, who can only head wide.
16 - Composed: Arsenal break and Walcott dinks one far post for Adebayor. However, Lescott expertly heads back to his keeper to nullify the danger.
14 - Wide: Speak of the devil, Walcott cuts in and does his best to curl one past Howard. But his effort lacks whip and drifts wide.
Walcott: David Stanley is tipping the teenager to grab a hat-trick today. The way things are going, I would be surprised to see more than one goal!
11 - Flat: Everton are content to sit back, with a point enough to secure fifth, while Arsenal's lack of incentive means they are lacking tempo.
Youngster: Sebastian Schlager is hoping to see 18-year-old Kieran Gibbs at some point today.
9 - Slick: Arsenal put together a tidy move only to be hampered by some excellent defending from Lescott.
8 - Foul: Hibbert catches Walcott as the Everton full-back looks to get as tight as possible to the speedy teenager.
Contact info: Drop me a line at james.dall@bskyb.com or via the feedback button in the scorecentre.
7 - Claim: Toure drops a cross into the area looking for Bendtner but Howard is their to claim well.
6 - Shape: Everton demonsrate top organisation as Arsenal pop the ball around searching for an opening.
4 - Isolated: Pienaar delivers from the left and, while his cross was overhit, Johnson was all on his own with four defenders to contend with.
3 - Feeling: Both sides have gradually settled and are keen to get their foot on the ball in order to enjoy some early possession.
1 - Corner: Everton win an early corner kick but Arsenal clear at the near post.
Villa point of view: Steven Forsyth feels Everton will lose their remaining games of the season to allow Martin O'Neill's side to pip them to fifth.
Kick-off: Evertpm get the match underway.
Nearly there: Just a few minutes away from kick-off here, with plenty of you getting in contact. Sean McNulty, an Everton supporter, feels his side will secure a 2-1 success. Meanwhile, Flamini (injured) and Hleb (suspended) are both all smiles prior to the match. Will this be the last time we see them contracted to Arsenal at The Emirates?
Further thoughts: Hazel is also backing an Arsenal win, while Liam Wilton feels The Gunners will score five - that certainly is a bold prediction there, Liam.
Prediction: Haseeb, a Gunner, feels today's clash will be a 'classic encounter' and is sure Arsenal will triumph. What say you Everton fans?
Cesc: The Spaniard has a minor groin injury so Gilberto partners his Brazilian compatriot Denilson in the centre of midfield. In other news, Yakubu - who might be introduced later, according to David Moyes - is on the bench with Johnson to play the lone striking role for Everton.
Contact info: Drop me a line at james.dall@bskyb.com or via the feedback button in the scorecentre.
Everton team: Howard, Hibbert, Yobo, Jagielka, Lescott, Pienaar, Neville, Carsley, Fernandes, Osman, Johnson. Subs: Wessels, Baines, Yakubu, Anichebe, Rodwell.
Arsenal team: Fabianski, Toure, Gallas, Song, Clichy, Eboue, Gilberto, Denilson, Walcott, Adebayor, Bendtner. Subs: Lehmann, Senderos, Djourou, Traore, Gibbs.
What's on grabs: Afternoon all, I do hope you are in good health on this drizzly - it is in Leeds - Sunday and plan to tootle off, in classic Bank Holiday weekend fashion, to a garden centre at some point during the day. For now, though, your attention should be with football as Arsenal host Everton. The Gunners already have third place assured, while second is not impossible if Chelsea falter in their remaining two games. Everton, meanwhile, need a point to cement fifth and assure Uefa Cup football for next season. Let's hope for an entertaining encounter. You can drop me a line at james.dall@bskyb.com or via the feedback button in the scorecentre.
Team news and a jolly welcome/introduction to follow...
Welcome to skysports.com's live commentary of Sunday's Premier League fixture between Arsenal and Everton at Emirates Stadium.
Robinho, Glen Johnson, Joe Kinnear and Stuart Attwell stood out for Kammy over the weekend.
Paul Merson watched West Brom go down to Stoke and is concerned about their Premier League survival.
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool | 20 | 45 |
| 2 | Chelsea | 20 | 42 |
| 3 | Manchester United | 18 | 38 |
| 4 | Aston Villa | 20 | 38 |
| 5 | Arsenal | 20 | 35 |
| 6 | Everton | 20 | 32 |
| 7 | Wigan Athletic | 19 | 28 |
| 8 | Hull City | 20 | 27 |
| 9 | Fulham | 19 | 26 |
| 10 | West Ham United | 20 | 25 |
| 11 | Bolton Wanderers | 20 | 23 |
| 12 | Portsmouth | 20 | 23 |
| 13 | Manchester City | 20 | 22 |
| 14 | Newcastle United | 20 | 22 |
| 15 | Sunderland | 20 | 22 |
| 16 | Tottenham Hotspur | 20 | 20 |
| 17 | Middlesbrough | 20 | 20 |
| 18 | Stoke City | 20 | 20 |
| 19 | Blackburn Rovers | 20 | 18 |
| 20 | West Bromwich Albion | 20 | 18 |