Everton 1-1 Arsenal result: Iliman Ndiaye's penalty earns hosts a draw as The Gunners' title hopes fade even further

Iliman Ndiaye’s penalty earned Everton a 1-1 draw as Arsenal’s slim title hopes took another dive at Goodison Park.

The visitors grabbed the lead on 34 minutes when Raheem Sterling seized upon an error before teeing up Leandro Trossard to drill a low strike into the far corner.

Trossard almost doubled his money just before the break, but his shot was well saved by Jordan Pickford.

Everton responded following the interval and levelled almost immediately when Ndiaye converted a cool spot kick.

Arsenal had the best chances to win it late on but Mikel Merino headed wide and Gabriel Martinelli forced an excellent save out of Pickford.

The result means Arsenal have missed the chance to move within nine points of Liverpool who could pull 14 points clear at the summit if they win at Fulham on Sunday.

Everton edge up to 14th place ahead of the rest of the weekend’s action after avoiding back-to-back defeats and stretch their unbeaten home run in the league to six matches.

Next up, Arsenal host Real Madrid in a mammoth UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg on Tuesday night before welcoming Brentford to Emirates Stadium in the Premier League on Saturday evening. Everton visit Nottingham Forest.

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PHIL JAGIELKA: "It was good. We were wondering what sort of Everton we would get second half and I think David Moyes set them up to get a goal, they got one early and put Arsenal under a lot of pressure in the second half.

"Not an amazing game, but a fantastic point and one point closer to safety for next year."

MARTIN KEOWN: "That became an exercise in mapping out all the minutes you need for key players for a game that wasn't taking place today, but will take place on Tuesday evening (v Real Madrid in the UCL).

"All credit to Arteta for getting a result and making sure no-one else was going to get injured."

Mikel Arteta shuffled his pack for his final visit to Goodison Park and will be slightly frustrated with the result, but not so much the performance and management of minutes ahead of a big, big period in their season.

The likes of Martin Odegaard, Jurrien Timber, Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka were not risked from the start, with some of the fringe players like Raheem Sterling and Jakub Kiwior stepping up to the plate.

It stretches The Gunners’ unbeaten away run in the PL to 11 matches with just one loss in their last 21 top-flight outings.

Their league title hopes may be all-but gone, but Arsenal will have belief they are ready for Real Madrid.

As for Everton, they avoid back-to-back defeats in a tough week after seeing their nine-match unbeaten run in the league end at Anfield.

Everton 1-1 Arsenal.

Everton are nearly there.

The Gunners have a corner on the right...

Four minutes added.

Merino meets Tierney's delicious cross but heads well wide.

Alcaraz booked for the hosts.

McNeil is back for The Toffees after a four-month absence.

Harrison goes off.

Martinelli jinks inside and forces Pickford into more action as he pushes away a thumping shot.

Did the contact merit a free kick outside the box or were The Gunners a touch unfortunate?

Martinelli combines with Tierney on the left with the Scot's drilled cut back from the byline being skewed wide by Odegaard at the near post.

Arsenal will stay second and cut the gap to 11 points, but will have played a game more.

Everton will nudge up to 14th but will have avoided back-to-back defeats following a nine-match unbeaten run.

Still time for that to change.

The Gunners look the more likely and with Odegaard, Saka and Martinelli in attack, you feel they will create something significant in the final stanza here.

It's academic as Trossard shoved Branthwaite over to reach the long pass, but my oh, my, what a supreme one-handed stop from Pickford to tip a blistering 15-yard shot away from danger.

Tierney on for Lewis-Skelly.

Patterson off, Young on.

Ndiaye off, Alcaraz on.