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Demarai Gray’s superb injury-time strike earned Everton a first win in nine games to end a bruising week with a stunning comeback against Arsenal.

Richarlison had brought Everton level with 10 minutes of normal time remaining after Martin Odegaard scored the game’s opener from Kieran Tierney’s cross in first-half stoppage time.

That the winner came after Richarlison had also had two goals ruled out for offside by the video assistant referee before getting the equaliser will only have added to the home fans’ delight.

The scenes at the final whistle were a complete turnaround from last Wednesday, when the mood turned ugly after a 4-1 defeat by their city rivals.

Victory lifts Everton to 12th in the table, eight points above the relegation zone.

Gray proves cut-price talisman again

Few fans can have expected such a performance after recent showings – had Everton failed to win this would have been their worst run of form since 1994.

Instead it was reminiscent of the club’s early season form when they chalked up successive comeback wins at home and climbed to fourth.

And it was the perfect response to dozens of fans who left their seats after 27 minutes in protest about how the club is being run, with the timing a reference to the club’s 27-year wait for a trophy.

The result also vindicated Benitez’s insistence that the club would return to winning ways once injured players returned.

In keeping with their success earlier in the season, it was Gray who was Everton’s most dangerous player, but he was aided by Richarlison, who showed great perseverance to score at the third time of asking.

His header in a poor first half, moments before Odegaard scored for Arsenal, was clearly offside but the frustration for the Brazilian and the 35,000 Everton fans inside a raucous Goodison Park was palpable when a second goal was ruled out because his toe was inches beyond the Arsenal defensive line.

When his goal eventually came, it changed the mood among a set of fans who have been angered by a familiar run of form under majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri, despite the British-Iranian spending close to £500m over the past six years.

But there was further delight to come when Gray found the top corner for his fifth goal of the season.

Having arrived for only £1.7m in the summer, he is proving to be a cut-price talisman.

More to follow.

Player of the match

GrayDemarai Gray