Toffees' nightmare over now... and so are Gunners' title hopes

ARSENAL will be back on Merseyside next month. It gives them plenty of time to get used to the idea of giving Liverpool a guard of honour.

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Second place beckons for the third successive season for Mikel Arteta's nearly-men after they clipped another hurdle in the Premier League title race.

It's now going to take a collapse of Devon Loch proportions to prevent Arne Slot's team being crowned champions by the time the Gunners head to the opposite side of Stanley Park on May 11.

Arsenal had to win their last visit to Goodison Park on the day when the 177th Grand National was being staged a few miles away at Aintree. They didn't - and now Liverpool need just 11 points from their last eight games to take the title.

Just to really rub north London noses in it, by the time Arteta takes his team to Anfield the runaway leaders will surely be home and hosed and expecting the challengers to pay their due respects.

Arteta has insisted he will never give up his quest to reel Liverpool in.

But his team selection suggested he was already looking towards the Champions League for salvation before a ball had been kicked.