### Arsenal's Christmas Cheer: A Narrow Victory at Everton Secures Premier League Lead Arsenal has reclaimed the top position in the Premier League, ensuring they will spend Christmas at the summit after a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Everton. This win came just hours after Manchester City had temporarily taken the lead with a decisive 3-0 win over West Ham United. The Gunners' triumph was marked by a penalty converted by Viktor Gyokeres in the 27th minute, awarded for a handball, which proved to be the match's only goal [https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/arsenal-regain-premier-league-lead-with-win-at-everton-chelsea-salvage-draw-with-newcastle][https://www.outlookindia.com/sports/football/everton-vs-arsenal-match-report-english-premier-league-2025-26-matchday-17-updates]. ### Breakdown of Arsenal's Victory and Premier League Context 1. **Match Overview**: - Arsenal defeated Everton 1-0, with Viktor Gyokeres scoring the decisive penalty in the 27th minute [https://www.socialnews.xyz/2025/12/20/premier-league-arsenal-top-for-christmas-after-narrow-win-haaland-keeps-pressure-on]. 2. **League Standings**: - This victory allowed Arsenal to reclaim the top spot in the Premier League, leading Manchester City by two points despite City's earlier win [https://www.nationalaccordnewspaper.com/arsenal-defeat-everton-to-stay-top-of-epl-table-despite-man-city-win]. 3. **Christmas Positioning**: - Arsenal will be at the top of the league table during the Christmas period, a significant morale boost as they head into the festive fixtures [https://dainiknewslive.in/arsenal-top-pl-charts-ahead-of-christmas-as-viktor-gyokeres-solitaire-enough-to-see-off-everton]. ### Key Statistics and Match Data - **Match Result**: Arsenal 1 - 0 Everton - **Goal Scorer**: Viktor Gyokeres (27' penalty) - **Current League Position**: Arsenal - 1st place, 2 points ahead of Manchester City - **Notable Matches**: Manchester City defeated West Ham 3-0 earlier on the same day [https://sg.news.yahoo.com/premier-league-arsenal-win-at-everton-to-stay-top-at-christmas-liverpool-outclass-nine-man-spurs-215429354.html]. ### Conclusion: Arsenal's Strong Position Heading into the Holidays In summary, **Arsenal's narrow victory over Everton has solidified their position at the top of the Premier League as they approach Christmas**. The decisive penalty from Gyokeres not only secured three points but also allowed the Gunners to maintain a crucial lead over Manchester City. As they head into the festive season, Arsenal's performance will be pivotal in their pursuit of the Premier League title. 1. Arsenal's win against Everton was crucial for their league standing. 2. The penalty by Gyokeres was the match's turning point. 3. Arsenal leads the Premier League by two points, setting a positive tone for the holiday fixtures [https://sportstar.thehindu.com/football/epl/premier-league-2025-26-arsenal-vs-everton-score-result-latest-news-updates/article70420919.ece].