--- title: "Everton v Arsenal history: Rooney’s famous goal, memorable wins and head-to-head record" canonical: "https://readeverton.com/everton-arsenal-history-head-to-head-record-famous-matches/" type: "post" language: "en-GB" author: "Gary Gowers" section: "Specials" published: "2026-10-22T05:59:58Z" modified: "2026-10-22T05:59:58Z" --- # Everton v Arsenal history: Rooney’s famous goal, memorable wins and head-to-head record **Everton travel to Arsenal on Saturday for the latest meeting between two clubs whose shared history stretches back more than 120 years, with David Moyes’ side looking for their first victory at the Emirates Stadium since 2021.** The 3pm Premier League meeting adds another chapter to a fixture that has been played more than 220 times in competitive football, owing to the long top-flight histories of [Everton](https://readeverton.com/) and Arsenal. The Gunners have held the upper hand overall, particularly during the Premier League era, but Everton have provided some memorable moments of their own. ## The early years Everton’s first visits to face Woolwich Arsenal came at the beginning of the 20th century, before the London club moved north of the River Thames and eventually dropped Woolwich from its name. One of the most unusual early encounters came in November 1904, when Everton were leading 3-1 at Arsenal’s Manor Ground before thick fog forced the game to be abandoned with around 15 minutes remaining. The rearranged fixture was played in April 1905, and Arsenal won 2-1, with Everton going on to finish the First Division season one point behind champions Newcastle United. ## Everton hit Arsenal for six One of Everton’s biggest victories in the fixture arrived during Howard Kendall’s successful first spell as manager. The reigning champions beat Arsenal 6-1 at Goodison Park on 9 November 1985, a result which remains Everton’s largest victory against the Gunners. Everton finished runners-up to Liverpool that season before reclaiming the First Division title in 1986/87. Arsenal’s biggest victory in the fixture came two decades later, when Arsene Wenger’s side won 7-0 at Highbury in May 2005. ## Arsenal clinch the title against Everton Everton were the opposition for one of the defining afternoons of Wenger’s early Arsenal reign, with the Gunners needing victory at Highbury on 3 May 1998 to secure the Premier League title. A Slaven Bilic own goal was followed by two Marc Overmars strikes before Tony Adams completed a 4-0 victory late on, securing Arsenal’s first league championship under Wenger. ## Rooney announces himself For Everton supporters, the meeting on **19 October 2002** remains one of the defining games of the Premier League era. Reigning champions Arsenal arrived at Goodison Park unbeaten in their previous 29 league matches, with the score 1-1 when 16-year-old Wayne Rooney was introduced from the bench. With the game approaching stoppage time, Rooney controlled Thomas Gravesen’s pass before beating David Seaman from distance, his shot going in off the crossbar. It was Rooney’s first Premier League goal. It secured a 2-1 Everton victory five days before his 17th birthday, providing one of the first major indications of the talent Everton had developed through their academy. ## Everton finally win at the Emirates Everton’s away record against Arsenal has traditionally been poor. They won 2-1 at Highbury in January 1996, with Graham Stuart and Andrei Kanchelskis scoring after Ian Wright had given Arsenal the lead, but another league victory on Arsenal territory did not arrive until April 2021. Carlo Ancelotti’s Everton won 1-0 at the Emirates after Bernd Leno turned Richarlison’s cross into his own net. It remains Everton’s most recent victory away to Arsenal. ## Dyche makes immediate impact Another notable Everton victory arrived at Goodison Park in February 2023, when Sean Dyche’s first match as manager came against an Arsenal side leading the Premier League while Everton began the weekend in the relegation zone. James Tarkowski headed in Dwight McNeil’s corner on the hour mark and Everton held on for a 1-0 victory. It was also Everton’s fourth win in five league meetings with Arsenal between December 2020 and February 2023. ## Everton v Arsenal in the Premier League Arsenal have dominated the overall Premier League record between the clubs. | Premier League record | Total | | --- | --- | | Meetings | 68 | | Everton wins | 12 | | Draws | 16 | | Arsenal wins | 40 | | Everton goals | 58 | | Arsenal goals | 128 | Everton’s biggest Premier League victory over Arsenal was a 3-0 success at Goodison Park in April 2014, while Arsenal’s biggest was the 7-0 victory at Highbury in May 2005. ## Recent Everton v Arsenal results Everton enjoyed a strong sequence against Arsenal earlier in the decade, but the balance has since shifted back towards the Gunners. | Date | Fixture | Result | | --- | --- | --- | | 14 March 2026 | Arsenal v Everton | 2-0 | | 20 December 2025 | Everton v Arsenal | 0-1 | | 5 April 2025 | Everton v Arsenal | 1-1 | | 14 December 2024 | Arsenal v Everton | 0-0 | | 19 May 2024 | Arsenal v Everton | 2-1 | | 17 September 2023 | Everton v Arsenal | 0-1 | | 1 March 2023 | Arsenal v Everton | 4-0 | | 4 February 2023 | Everton v Arsenal | 1-0 | | 22 May 2022 | Arsenal v Everton | 5-1 | | 6 December 2021 | Everton v Arsenal | 2-1 | Everton have gone six Premier League meetings without beating Arsenal since Tarkowski’s winner in February 2023. Their most recent victory away to Arsenal remains the 1-0 success under Ancelotti in April 2021, illustrating the scale of the challenge facing Moyes’ side this weekend. *This page will be updated after future meetings between Everton and Arsenal.* ***For all the latest Everton news, injury updates and team news, visit our** [**Everton news page**](https://readeverton.com/news/)**.***