There were only two Premier League matches that went ahed on Saturday...and we were still last on Match of the Day!
But the highlights were worth waiting for as this was an extraordinary match at the Emirates.
And Everton defied everyone, even most Evertonians, by out-playing and outfighting an Arsenal team that have only dropped points once at home all season.
That was when Chelsea webbed them three-nil and this really should have been the Gunners second home defeat of the season.
0000px; top: 0px; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden;">Everton were simply brilliant throughout!
They flew out of the traps and attacked Arsenal from the first whistle - not something usually associated with David Moyes' teams in such encounters - and had the ball in the back of the net after just seven minutes.
Unfortunately, Louis Saha's headed effort was ruled out for offside.
But, five minutes later, Everton were deservedly one-nil up thanks to another headed effort.
Landon Donvan, who had an outstanding debut, whipped a corner into the middle of the area and Leon Osman 'did a Cahill' and powered a header past Manuel Almunia in the Arsenal goal.
Despite the euphoria of going ahead no-one really expected the lead to last - every silver lining has a cloud and all that - and so it proved as Arsenal equalised 15 minutes later with a horribly deflected goal.
Arsenal had been pressing Everton since the goal but Tim Howard hadn't really been troubled thanks to some great defending from the Everton backline.
But, on 28 minutes, the Blues just couldn't clear there lines and some smart play from Eduardo teed up the ball for Denilson to level the scores.
The Brazilian's shot was pretty awful and Tim Howard easily had it covered - that's if the thing was even on target - but the ball clipped Leon Osman's heel on the way towards goal and completely wrong-footed the 'keeper.
Arse! Indeed....
But, far from the Arsenal onslaught we then expected, Everton immediately went back on the attack and were unlucky not to re-take the lead from a Tim Cahill header.
Phil Neville lofted the ball towards the box and, with Almunia flapping about on the edge of the six-yard-box, Cahill steered a header goalwards only to see it cleared off the line by the tight-faced Thomas Vermaelen.
Before the half was over Eduardo had his obligatory penalty appeal turned down as the referee rightly saw that Marouane Fellaini had not touched the Arsenal hitman as he dispossessed him just inside the area.
n;">Everton kicked off the second half in blizzard conditions but there was no sign of an orange casey getting thrown into play as the players persevered with the yellow 'winter ball'.
Arsenal setteld into the second half a lot quicker than the first but, despite seeing a lot of the ball, they seemd content to just pass the thing around without getting forward too much, which suited us fine!
Everton were closing down well, playing like the side that ew know they are and were starting to cause Arsenal problems again as Leon Osman steered a free header just wide, Landon Donovan almost cleverly picked out Steven Pienaar on the edge of the six-yard-box and Louis Saha saw a good effort defelcted wide for what seemed to be Everton's 53rd corner of the game.
There was always the nagging feeling that Arsenal could up their game at any time though and take us to the cleaners - that's the sort of paranoia you develop after seeing the same team dismantle you 1-6 at home - but, without Cesc Fabregas, this Arsenal side just didn't have the same cutting edge.
And, without Joleon Lescott - of course the 1-6 defeat was his fault - Everton were a totally different proposition form that opening day defeat.
But then, on 82 minutes, Steven Pienaar scored with the best lob since the end of Boogie Nights.
Tim Cahill picked up the ball just inside the Everton area and twisted his way through a crowd of Arsenal players to thread a delightful ball through to Pienaar who had given himself a clear run at goal.
It was the sort of chance that, when missed, the excuse is that the player had too much time to think about what to do with the ball, bu not Pienaar.
The little South African sorcerer must've been running towards goal thinking: "To his left? Nah! To his right? Nope! Shall I just twat it? Nah, fuck it, I'll do this..." at which point he clipped the most delightful chip about an inch over Almunia's hand and then left the Arsenal players to do some desperate chasing back as the ball bounced over the line in slow motion.
Fuck me it was like watching Pat Nevin! Or Wayne Clarke!
Arsenal fell apart at this point and, as Arsene Wenger honestly observed after the game, 3-1 was looking the more likely result!
James Vaughan was presented with an almost identical chance to Pienaar to sew the game up but he went for the twat it option and Almunia saved with his legs.
Everton continued to press for a third and won a succession fo free kicks and corners but it was Arsenal who were to have the last say on the match.
Five minutes injury time was signalled, mainly due to Arsenal players dropping like flies - special mention to Denilson who, probably in bad taste after the Togo team bus incident, fell over like he'd been shot in the stomach - and it was the Gunners that used it to tie the match.
The ball was played to Thomas Rosicky just inside the Everton area but, again, his shot appeared to be covered by Tim Howard until Lucas Neill made a desperate lunge that did nothing but deflect te ball into the roof of the net!
Arse! Again...!
But things are definitely looking up for the Blues and if we keep on putting in performances like this one we'll motor on up the table.
Everton aren't quite back but we're getting there!
And Everton defied everyone, even most Evertonians, by out-playing and outfighting an Arsenal team that have only dropped points once at home all season.
That was when Chelsea webbed them three-nil and this really should have been the Gunners second home defeat of the season.
Everton were simply brilliant throughout!
They flew out of the traps and attacked Arsenal from the first whistle - not something usually associated with David Moyes' teams in such encounters - and had the ball in the back of the net after just seven minutes.
Unfortunately, Louis Saha's headed effort was ruled out for offside.
But, five minutes later, Everton were deservedly one-nil up thanks to another headed effort.
Landon Donvan, who had an outstanding debut, whipped a corner into the middle of the area and Leon Osman 'did a Cahill' and powered a header past Manuel Almunia in the Arsenal goal.
Despite the euphoria of going ahead no-one really expected the lead to last - every silver lining has a cloud and all that - and so it proved as Arsenal equalised 15 minutes later with a horribly deflected goal.
Arsenal had been pressing Everton since the goal but Tim Howard hadn't really been troubled thanks to some great defending from the Everton backline.
But, on 28 minutes, the Blues just couldn't clear there lines and some smart play from Eduardo teed up the ball for Denilson to level the scores.
The Brazilian's shot was pretty awful and Tim Howard easily had it covered - that's if the thing was even on target - but the ball clipped Leon Osman's heel on the way towards goal and completely wrong-footed the 'keeper.
Arse! Indeed....
But, far from the Arsenal onslaught we then expected, Everton immediately went back on the attack and were unlucky not to re-take the lead from a Tim Cahill header.
Phil Neville lofted the ball towards the box and, with Almunia flapping about on the edge of the six-yard-box, Cahill steered a header goalwards only to see it cleared off the line by the tight-faced Thomas Vermaelen.
Before the half was over Eduardo had his obligatory penalty appeal turned down as the referee rightly saw that Marouane Fellaini had not touched the Arsenal hitman as he dispossessed him just inside the area.
Everton kicked off the second half in blizzard conditions but there was no sign of an orange casey getting thrown into play as the players persevered with the yellow 'winter ball'.
Arsenal setteld into the second half a lot quicker than the first but, despite seeing a lot of the ball, they seemd content to just pass the thing around without getting forward too much, which suited us fine!
Everton were closing down well, playing like the side that ew know they are and were starting to cause Arsenal problems again as Leon Osman steered a free header just wide, Landon Donovan almost cleverly picked out Steven Pienaar on the edge of the six-yard-box and Louis Saha saw a good effort defelcted wide for what seemed to be Everton's 53rd corner of the game.
There was always the nagging feeling that Arsenal could up their game at any time though and take us to the cleaners - that's the sort of paranoia you develop after seeing the same team dismantle you 1-6 at home - but, without Cesc Fabregas, this Arsenal side just didn't have the same cutting edge.
And, without Joleon Lescott - of course the 1-6 defeat was his fault - Everton were a totally different proposition form that opening day defeat.
But then, on 82 minutes, Steven Pienaar scored with the best lob since the end of Boogie Nights.
Tim Cahill picked up the ball just inside the Everton area and twisted his way through a crowd of Arsenal players to thread a delightful ball through to Pienaar who had given himself a clear run at goal.
It was the sort of chance that, when missed, the excuse is that the player had too much time to think about what to do with the ball, bu not Pienaar.
The little South African sorcerer must've been running towards goal thinking: "To his left? Nah! To his right? Nope! Shall I just twat it? Nah, fuck it, I'll do this..." at which point he clipped the most delightful chip about an inch over Almunia's hand and then left the Arsenal players to do some desperate chasing back as the ball bounced over the line in slow motion.
Fuck me it was like watching Pat Nevin! Or Wayne Clarke!
Arsenal fell apart at this point and, as Arsene Wenger honestly observed after the game, 3-1 was looking the more likely result!
James Vaughan was presented with an almost identical chance to Pienaar to sew the game up but he went for the twat it option and Almunia saved with his legs.
Everton continued to press for a third and won a succession fo free kicks and corners but it was Arsenal who were to have the last say on the match.
Five minutes injury time was signalled, mainly due to Arsenal players dropping like flies - special mention to Denilson who, probably in bad taste after the Togo team bus incident, fell over like he'd been shot in the stomach - and it was the Gunners that used it to tie the match.
The ball was played to Thomas Rosicky just inside the Everton area but, again, his shot appeared to be covered by Tim Howard until Lucas Neill made a desperate lunge that did nothing but deflect te ball into the roof of the net!
Arse! Again...!
But things are definitely looking up for the Blues and if we keep on putting in performances like this one we'll motor on up the table.
Everton aren't quite back but we're getting there!
