Arsenal come unstuck at Everton's School of Hard Knocks

Ronald Koeman's side recovered from going a goal behind to produce their standout result of the season thanks to gritty, determined play and a willingness to compete.

The long run is over. Arsenal – boasting a proud unbeaten record stretching back to the middle of August – came undone in the inhospitable setting of Goodison Park.

Arsene Wenger’s team got themselves into a deserved lead in an atmosphere that was strangely muted but Everton ratcheted up the tempo midway through the first half and Arsenal wilted.

This wasn’t the School of Science; it was the School of Hard Knocks. Seamus Coleman – who scored the equaliser – tangled with Mesut Ozil as both teams made their way off at the interval and it sparked a mass brawl of sorts.

James McCarthy clattered Francois Coquelin with a rude tackle from behind. Where Everton had been standoffish through the opening stages they instead got in the Gunners’ faces.

 It was a gritty, old-fashioned win and one which confirmed the areas in which Arsenal are lacking. In the run-up to Alexis Sanchez's opener Ashley Williams even produced a clattering tackle on his team-mate Idrissa Gueye. Those were the desire levels on display.