Arsenal went second in the Premiership with a win that should have been far more comfortable in terms of the scoreline.

Nicolas Anelka took only six minutes to ease Arsenal's painful memories of a bad midweek European night in Kiev, and despite many more chances his early strike proved enough.

The French striker, who missed the Champions' League defeat in Kiev with injury, drilled an unstoppable left-foot cross-shot beyond goalkeeper Thomas Myhre.

Arsenal's Ljungberg was a constant threat in Bergkamp's absence

Everton were the visitors when Arsenal clinched the Premiership title last May with a thumping 4-0 win - and it could have been at least that figure again by half-time.

The Gunners were still without injured skipper Tony Adams and his reliable deputy Steve Bould, while Dennis Bergkamp was only fit enough to sit on the bench after a back complaint.

But Everton were so poor in midfield and attack that they were unable to put Arsenal's defence under any real pressure apart from a couple of corners by Michael Ball which provided Duncan Ferguson with two clear headers.

One of these he put onto the top of the bar after just 11 minutes and he then headed wide of a gaping goal when David Seaman failed to collect Ball's deep flag-kick nine minutes before the interval.

Arsenal should have been coasting home by then however.

Fredrik Ljungberg and Anelka both had chances before the Frenchman scored.

Nigel Winterburn holding off Ibrahim Bakayoko

Everton had Richard Dunne and Marco Materazzi both booked as they used desperate methods to curb Arsenal's flow of perceptive passes.

Emmanuel Petit provided the hub of their activity from midfield and time and again the Arsenal strikers bored down on the Everton goal.

But they, and the home side's midfielders, missed every chance handed to them.

Everton had a rare dangerous break when Ibrahim Bakayoko caught Arsenal short at the back and set free Alex Cleland, whose goal-bound shot from the edge of the box was blocked by Martin Keown.

But Arsenal were soon back in charge again after Ferguson made a glaring miss with his header from Ball's 36th-minute corner.

And just before the break Myhre dived full length to his right to hold an Overmars drive.

There was also a strong Arsenal claim for a penalty.

Patrick Vieira chases Bakayoko

Ray Parlour, having forced his way into the box, appeared to be held back by Dave Watson but referee Gary Willard waved play on.

Arsenal were not quite so fluent in the second half but Everton's defence was still at full stretch to prevent them scoring a second goal.

Gilles Grimandi and Keown were cautioned for fouling Ferguson, who was predictably Everton's major threat.

Ljungberg, deputising for Bergkamp, had the Everton defence fully extended with his sprightly runs and cleverly set up Parlour with a neat through-ball.

It took a wonderful tackle by Materazzi on Parlour to prevent a second Arsenal goal in the 62nd minute.

Then two minutes later Anelka's neat header sent Ljungberg into the box and, once more, it was Materazzi to the rescue for Everton.

From Parlour's corner the ball was returned to him and he drove it in again for a glancing header by Patrick Vieira which finished just wide of the target.

Ferguson was booked for a dangerous challenge on Keown with 20 minutes to go.

Arsenal stayed in control, although their performance was clearly affected by the long trip to Ukraine.

They were rarely tested by an Everton side, although the home fans were holding their breath at the end as the away team peppered the box with hopeful crosses.

The win takes Arsenal second in the table, two points behind leaders Aston Villa.

Arsenal: Seaman, Dixon, Winterburn, Vieira, Ljungberg, Anelka, Overmars, Keown, Parlour, Petit, Grimandi. Subs: Bergkamp, Wreh, Manninger, Hughes, Upson.

Everton: Myhre, Cleland, Ball, Dacourt, Watson, Unsworth, Collins, Ferguson, Materazzi, Bakayoko, Dunne. Subs: Hutchison, Short, Cadamarteri, Simonsen, Milligan.