Arsenal finally ended their six-year wait for a Premier League victory at Everton as Leandro Trossard fired the title-chasing Gunners to a 1-0 success Sunday.
Mikel Arteta's side had to work hard for their first win at Goodison Park since 2017, with Belgian forward Trossard settling a scrappy encounter midway through the second half.
Arsenal were not at their fluent best but they earned their fourth win in five games this season by matching Everton's physical approach.
Arteta has warned his players they would only end their Everton curse if they are willing to put their bodies on the line and they rose to that challenge.
After leaving it late to beat Manchester United in their previous game before the international break, this was another tense affair for Arsenal.
But Trossard's goal lifted unbeaten the north Londoners into fourth place, two points behind leaders Manchester City as they aim to avenge last season's late collapse in the title race.
Winless Everton remain in the dreaded zone as they face up to another relegation battle after narrowly beating the drop in the last two seasons.
Meanwhile, troubled Chelsea had to settle for a disappointing 0-0 draw against Bournemouth Sunday as their dismal start to the Premier League season showed no signs of improving.
Mauricio Pochettino's side have won just once in five league games this term and they were booed off after lacking any semblance of a cutting edge at Vitality Stadium.
The Blues are without a goal in their last two matches and have scored only five times in the league this season.
They are languishing in 14th place, closer to the relegation zone than the top four, as Pochettino comes to terms with the size of the task facing him at Stamford Bridge.
"I cannot say I am happy but it was a very competitive game. We should win 1-0 or 2-0 easily because in the first 30 minutes we had the chances," Pochettino said.
"With 12 injuries and only three players that started who were with us for these two weeks I think I only need to say it was a really good effort."
The former Tottenham Hotspur and Paris Saint Germain boss was hired in the close-season to clean up the mess left by Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter and Frank Lampard, who all had spells in charge of Chelsea during last season's wretched campaign.
But Pochettino has so far been unable to make an impact despite Chelsea's £350m spending spree on new signings.
A rash of untimely injuries haven't helped but Chelsea's decision to largely sign younger players has left Pochettino with an inexperienced squad that lacks the maturity to close out games.
"We need to prove our efficiency in front of goal. We need to be calm also but these circumstances are not always easy for the players. We cannot blame anyone," Pochettino said.
"The fans are disappointed because of the situation but I am not worried about that because we really know what we are doing."
Challenging for a place in the Champions League was Pochettino's target this season, but that ambition already seems overly optimistic on the evidence of this drab display against winless Bournemouth.
While it is too soon to say Pochettino is in danger of the sack, he will be well aware Potter lasted less than seven months before being sacked by co-owner Todd Boehly.
RESULTS
Bournemouth 0 Chelsea 0
Everton 0 Arsenal 1 (Trossard 69)