Pinpoint crosses and towering headers often come to mind when thinking of Arsenal’s corners, yet the game’s first opportunity came from Declan Rice playing the ball short to Noni Madueke for a strike that Jordan Pickford saved.
The Gunners continued to show early intent with shots already stacking up inside the opening quarter-hour, as Idrissa Gueye blocked an attempt from Riccardo Calafiori and Martin Zubimendi, while Calafiori, Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze all fired off-target.
The hosts still faced scares at the other end, with only a brilliantly improvised Calafiori block denying Dwight McNeil from point-blank range, who then curled his shot from range onto the post.
In what had quickly become a highly competitive affair, Eze hit Zubimendi with an attempt from range before Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s venomous shot from outside of the box was palmed away by David Raya.
There was still disappointment for Arsenal despite that save, with Jurrien Timber going off injured in the 38th minute and Iliman Ndiaye rushing out to deny Saka an opportunity before the break.
Everton continued to carry a threat after the restart with Beto being denied by Raya’s outstretched boot, while Saka and Calafiori saw an attempt apiece blocked by Michael Keane as they also stood firm defensively.
Pickford then saved another Saka shot as Arsenal continued to probe for an opener, with Mikel Arteta turning to Viktor Gyokeres and Gabriel Martinelli just after the hour mark.
There was a feeling that it would take something special to break down the Toffees, and Eze came agonisingly close to providing it with a shot that curled marginally wide.
The hosts resorted to hitting shots from range with Eze doing the best job of testing Pickford before Dowman struck harmlessly high and wide.
Arsenal finally made the breakthrough in the 89th minute, when Pickford missed Dowman’s cross and the ball bounced off Piero Hincapie into Gyökeres’ path for the striker to finish.
Having delivered the cross for the opener, Dowman then had a moment completely of his own as the 16-year-old raced up the pitch and became the youngest goalscorer in PL history with Pickford in no man’s land after going forward for a corner.
The victory secures the Gunners’ fourth consecutive PL win, taking them 10 points ahead of Manchester City ahead of their match against West Ham.
In doing so, they also inflicted the first defeat in Everton’s last three matches.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Max Dowman (Arsenal)