Toffees captain Phil Jagielka – who was not even in the team 30 minutes before kick-off – scored a scrappy goal in a tight encounter at Goodison Park.
After waiting more than two years for victory over a top-six club, Marco Silva’s side have now recorded two in as many home games, while a first league defeat in two months for Arsenal leaves their fourth-place vulnerable to Chelsea – level on points – who play West Ham on Monday.
Unai Emery’s side managed just two shots on target and the only surprise was that after going a 16th-consecutive top-flight away match without a clean sheet – for the first time since February 1985 – they did not concede more.
One goal should not have been enough to beat a team with this much talent but it was as Jagielka’s fourth appearance of the season – and his first at Goodison Park in 11 months proved to be a blessing in disguise.