After a total of 32 league games, just 2 visiting sides have taken 3 points from Merseyside this season. This afternoon Everton maintained that record and added another reason for all sides to fear a trip to the city. A dominant performance and a 3-0 win over Arsenal also provided as clear a signal as they have given yet that they are at home amongst the Premier League’s elite demographic. The win puts Roberto Martinez’s team just 1 point off Arsenal in fourth, with a game in hand.

Steven Naismith followed up last week’s man of the match performance against Fulham with a quick goal and yet another man of the match award for another fine performance at Goodison today. The Scot showed composure to slot home a rebound from a saved Romelu Lukaku shot on 14 minutes.

Lukaku added the second in the 34th minute, jinking past a handful of Arsenal defenders before a low, accurate drive beyond Szczesny underlined the superiority the Toffees had been showing until then.

Mikel Arteta put into his own net shortly after the hour mark to make it 3-0 and from there on the only real question was if Everton could add a fourth.