Arsenal vs. Everton: Rating the Arsenal Players in the 1-0 Win at the Emirates

Arsenal defeated Everton in the Premier League at the Emirates by a single goal to nil; on a day when former Gunners greats were honoured with statues outside the ground it was the one still playing in red who won the game, as Robin van Persie yet again scored with a quite superb volley.

The home side were patient throughout and had though they had several fine chances to take the lead they never really put Everton under enough concerted pressure other than a 15-minute spell before half time.

However, the class of van Persie told in the end and his angled volley 20 minutes from time sent his side on toward three points, when Everton's defending made it look like they might have to settle for just one.

Here are the Arsenal players' ratings from the 1-0 victory.

Goalkeeper: Wojciech Szczesny

A bystander for most of the game, Wojciech Szczesny actually got nowhere near the two efforts which went closest for Everton late on as they searched for an equaliser, with Magaye Gueye and Connor McAleny both firing just wide of Szczesny's far post with a few inches to spare.

The confident young goalkeeper claimed another clean sheet without really having to do too much work today; catching a couple of high crosses under his cross bar was about the extent of the effort he had to put in, so poor was Everton's final-third play for the majority of the contest.

He likes these easy matches does Szczesny. He's certainly had a few of them recently.

Full-Backs: Johan Djourou and Thomas Vermaelen

With Andre Santos, Keiron Gibbs, Bacary Sagna and Carl Jenkinson all sidelined through injury, Arsene Wenger fielded a defensive line consisting entirely of central defenders.

Johan Djourou and Thomas Vermaelen were shifted wider from their preferred positions and when in possession in perhaps told, as Arsenal were somewhat narrower than usual in their approach play and little overlapping in the final third was in evidence.

When Djourou did take it into his mind to stride forward, he still inevitably cut inside, where the park was severely congested in the first half.

Vermaelen made a very good defensive header at his own far post to deny Tim Cahill a shooting opportunity but both defenders in general stood up pretty well to their respective tasks; a few Leighton Baines crosses escaping the attentions of Djourou about the only criticisms that could be levelled at the pair.

Johan Djourou - 6 / 10

Thomas Vermaelen - 7 / 10

Central Defenders: Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny

Like their goalkeeper Szczesny, neither Per Mertesacker nor Laurent Koscielny really had an awful lot to do for much of the game.

In the first half neither were unduly troubled by Louis Saha as he lacked support, and never ran at or beyond either of them to stretch the Arsenal defence.

Mertesacker was called upon several times more in a 15 minute spell in the second half when the usual aerial attack was thrown forward, with Tim Cahill and Marouane Fellaini playing as a front duo, but again the German was comfortably able to deal with most threats.

Once or twice Everton went relatively close with shots from distance, but one single shot on target for the away side tells its own story.

Koscielny looked more comfortable at centre back this week following his stint at right-back previously, though whether he remains there once a left-back returns and frees up Vermaelen to play in the centre remains to be seen.

Per Mertesacker - 7 / 10

Laurent Koscielny - 7 / 10

Central Midfield: Alex Song, Mikel Arteta, Aaron Ramsey

Playing against his old side Everton, Mikel Arteta was much quieter than he would have hoped and did not have much impact on the game. Alongside him, Aaron Ramsey and Alex Song were much more impressive and posed a greater threat to Everton all game long with their penetrative and inventive passing.

While Arteta either played safe and short or long and aimless, often being wasteful in possession in the first half and fading out of the game in the second, Song was a real thorn with his balls through the centre from deep. Arteta did however play a fine ball to release Walcott which might have resulted in an Arsenal opener in the first half.

His eventual assist for van Persie's goal was another fine example of his passing ability, but it probably wasn't the most impressive he managed all game—one in the first half which saw Aaron Ramsey eventually fire over was threaded through the eye of a needle.

Ramsey was industrious in the final third and aside from the aforementioned chance which he did well to fashion the space for, turning sharply in the box, he also perhaps should have stretched to score in the first half when Theo Walcott put the ball on a plate for him.

Alex Song - 8 / 10

Mikel Arteta - 6 / 10

Aaron Ramsey - 7 / 10

Forwards: Theo Walcott, Gervinho and Robin Van Persie

Robin van Persie will take the headlines again with his wonderfully-taken 19th goal of the season which gave Arsenal victory but in truth he was pretty quiet against Everton and his overall performance would certainly have been overshadowed by his team-mate Theo Walcott had he not thundered home the spectacular winner.

But he did, and that is why he is a top-drawer striker.

Gervinho played his part in an entertaining first half where Arsenal cut through Everton's defence time and time again in a 20 minute spell before the break; once squaring to an offside van Persie when he might have gone for goal himself, once being thwarted by the onrushing Tim Howard and another time getting his feet in a muddle from Walcott's cross after Aaron Ramsey had left the ball to him, but in the second half the Ivorian did not have as big an impact and he was substituted with seven minutes remaining—and might have been hauled off sooner if van Persie hadn't have scored when he did.

Theo Walcott on the right side was a constant menace and gave Leighton Baines a real tough game with his direct running and pace.

Walcott deserved a goal or an assist and was unlucky to see a couple of chances he created just fail to be converted, while he also forced Howard into a good stop in the second half.

A couple of knocks he received in the game may take their toll eventually as he, along with the other two up front, are starting almost every meaningful game at the moment but his performances are warranting it and he will be keen to show he can reproduce his best form as often as possible, especially with the European Championships next summer on the horizon.

For van Persie's part, he wasn't at his best with his movement or timing of runs today, but several people would be willing to give him an automatic ten out of ten merely for doing his job and netting the winning goal, in sublime fashion.

Gervinho - 7 / 10

Theo Walcott - 8 / 10

Robin van Persie - 7 / 10

Substitutes: Ignasi Miquel, Tomas Rosicky, Emmanuel Frimpong

Arsene Wenger, the man with the most shapeless coat in England, was within a whisker of making a double substitution with 20 minutes remaining.

Andrei Arshavin and Tomas Rosicky were both stripped and ready to enter the pitch when Robin van Persie pulled his thunderbolt volleyed goal out the bag and changed the Frenchman's mind for him.

Arshavin didn't even get on the pitch in the end, while Rosicky had to wait until the final seven minutes or so to come on.

None of the subs really had any time to make a mark on the game, though Frimpong arguably shored up the midfield somewhat for the final moments as Everton sought to make a late rally for an equaliser.

Ignasi Miquel, Tomas Rosicky, Emmanuel Frimpong - no rating.