Arsenal latest: Bukayo Saka's 'tough' admission as Viktor Gyokeres explains penalty-taker chat

Arsenal have bounced back well in recent games since their 2-1 loss to Aston Villa

Arsenal's reign at the summit of the Premier League has now extended beyond 11 weeks. Despite Manchester City briefly claiming the top spot following their 3-0 triumph over West Ham, it was Arsenal who concluded the week in pole position courtesy of a slender 1-0 victory against Everton.

This win ensures they maintain a two-point buffer over Pep Guardiola's squad and marks the fifth time they've secured the Christmas number one spot, although they've yet to convert this into a title win on the previous four occasions.

Viktor Gyokeres' penalty proved decisive at Hill Dickinson Stadium, but the forward wasn't immune to criticism despite his match-winning contribution. As Arsenal savour their festive period at the top, we delve into Gyokeres' penalty explanation and Bukayo Saka's post-match revelation.

Gyokeres' penalty justification

While the three points were undoubtedly the primary objective for Arsenal on Saturday evening, Gyokeres breaking his five-match goalless streak was a welcome bonus. His fifth league goal of the season came from the penalty spot after Jake O'Brien handled Declan Rice's corner, maintaining his flawless penalty record as a Gunner.

Considering that Arsenal have rotated penalty takers in recent seasons - with Saka and Martin Odegaard netting two and three penalties respectively - Gyokeres shed light on the decision-making process that led to him stepping up against Jordan Pickford.

The 27-year-old reflected after the final whistle: "It was a tough win away from home, but we took the three points and it was nice to score a goal. We spoke a little bit on the pitch. It was an easy talk and then I took it. To be fair, a few months ago I took one, and it was nice to take one again and to score.

"We don't think about it too much, we just wait for the decision. Then you know it's a penalty and you just wait for the normal procedure. Nothing special, really."

Saka's candid assessment

Taking on any David Moyes side typically presents a formidable examination of your qualities, and one which the Gunners handled with distinction. With only Gyokeres' spot-kick dividing the teams, Arsenal managed merely two attempts on target, which exceeded the hosts by one.

The Toffees' defensive resilience forced the Gunners to graft for their three points, and the exertion required to secure maximum points on Merseyside wasn't overlooked by Saka.

Speaking through Premier League Productions, the England international acknowledged Everton's approach as he stated: "Everton made it really tough. It was also on us for not killing off the game in certain moments.

"They have a good structure with a good intensity. Their players are so passionate, which made it so hard. There weren't really any emotions in it, we take them out. We focus on our job.

"Since last week we focused on winning here and we did that today We are back on top of the table but we aren't watching City too hard. We know if we win every week we will stay there. We are in control."