Arsenal's Top 4 Hopes Take Hit After 1-0 Loss to Phil Jagielka, Everton

Arsenal's top-four hopes were damaged on Sunday after Unai Emery's side lost 1-0 to Everton in their visit to Goodison Park, their third consecutive game on the road without a win.  

Phil Jagielka was drafted into Marco Silva's side as a late replacement for Michael Keane after he fell ill, and the English veteran poked home the breakthrough in a competitive first half on Merseyside.

The Gunners hoped to fire back but couldn't find the breakthrough to give the Toffees their third win in a row for the first time since October.

Arsenal's Porous Away Defence Will Dash Top-4 Dream

Arsenal have six games remaining this Premier League season, so it's a growing concern that four of those are away from home considering they have yet to keep a clean sheet on the road this campaign.

Sunday's trip to Goodison was the 15th time this term the Gunners have tried and failed to shut out their hosts in the Premier League, and the upcoming schedule suggests more points will be dropped.

Jagielka's finish saw to it that Arsenal maintained one of the least enviable statistics in England, per Match of the Day:

Emery's side still have to travel to Watford, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Leicester City and Burnley (in that order) before season's end, none of which promise to be simple tests.

Amid that, Emery will also have to juggle two UEFA Europa League quarter-final legs against Italian powerhouse Napoli, at home this Thursday and away at the Stadio San Paolo on April 18.

AFP's Kieran Canning compared their disappointing road record against some of their peers:

The centre-back pairing of Shkodran Mustafi and last summer's major defensive signing, Sokratis Papastathopoulos, has come in for criticism at times this season while captain Laurent Koscielny has been sidelined with injury.

The French veteran has been sorely missed in the lineup, while the retirement of Per Mertesacker last summer removed another senior figure from the back line.

That drop in wisdom has been telling at times, more so away from home than anywhere else, and Sokratis' ill discipline during his first Premier League season has shown, per Squawka:

Another shake-up at the back will take place with the Greece international suspended for the upcoming games against Watford and Palace, with Nacho Monreal possibly moving into central defence.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin looked confident up against Arsenal's defenders for most of Sunday's clash, and some pointed out Mustafi as a weak point once again:

Arsenal are now level on points and games played alongside fifth-place Chelsea, while Manchester United follow two points behind in sixth.

The Gunners have won once in their last nine away league matches, and that apparent lack of confidence in foreign territory promises to undo much of the fine work Emery has put into the team in his maiden term.

What's Next?

Arsenal turn their attentions back to the UEFA Europa League on Thursday with a home tie against Napoli in the first leg of their quarter-final encounter, while Everton are away to relegated Fulham on Saturday.

This article will be updated to provide more information soon.

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