Demarai Gray stunner seals Everton win over dismal Arsenal to ease pressure on Rafael Benitez

Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for free

Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter

Please enter a valid email address

Please enter a valid email address

SIGN UP

I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice

Everton’s winless run came to an end in dramatic fashion as Demarai Gray’s stoppage-time strike secured a 2-1 victory over Arsenal at Goodison Park.

The visitors took the lead through Martin Odegaard’s volley at the end of the first half, moments after Richarlison had a goal disallowed for offside following a VAR check.

Richarlison had another goal ruled out by VAR just before the hour mark, before he drew the Toffees level with a 79th-minute header when Gray’s shot came back off the bar.

Gray then secured Everton’s first victory in nine Premier League outings by sending an effort in off the post in the second minute of additional time.

The game ended with the crowd in delirium, having earlier seen some Everton fans leaving their seats in a protest over the running of the club.

It came a day on from Marcel Brands leaving his role as Everton’s director of football, and the club saying boss Rafael Benitez would continue to receive owner Farhad Moshiri and the board’s “full support” in the aftermath of last Wednesday’s painful 4-1 derby loss to Liverpool.

While Everton – up from 16th to 12th in the table – savoured a much-needed return to winning ways, it was a second successive loss for Mikel Arteta’s seventh-placed Arsenal, after the 3-2 reverse at Manchester United.