Mikel Arteta insists Arsenal are only focused on what "we can control" after reclaiming top spot in the Premier League from Manchester City.

The Gunners ensured they would sit top of the tree on Christmas Day, after Viktor Gyokeres' penalty secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Everton.

Arsenal had briefly surrendered first place, with Pep Guardiola's City leapfrogging them following their 3-0 win over West Ham earlier on Saturday.

But Arteta was adamant his players were not distracted by events at the Etihad Stadium, before they stepped onto the pitch at Hill Dickinson Stadium a few hours later.

"We are not looking at that," he said. "The only thing we can control is our own performance and results, and we know how long it's going to be and how tough this league is. That's it. Enjoy every day. Do your best and see what we're going to get.

"[We are] very happy to win here. It's a really difficult place to come.

"In the first half, we had some moments where we were very dominant without really creating much.

"We scored the goal. In the second half, we had three big open chances that if you want to be more relaxed at the end, you have to take those chances in the Premier League.

"You need to enjoy the process of winning and that's going to be hard moments, difficult moments, great moments. That's all part of that intention and how close we are to winning, and that's why we have to enjoy and take it game by game."

Meanwhile, that is now back-to-back defeats for Everton, who were also beaten 2-0 by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last weekend.

The Toffees registered just a single shot on target from a meagre xG of 0.2, while they failed to record an attempt during the first half of a Premier League home game for only the second time on record (since 2003-04).

"You can play as well as you like and do good things, but we need to get some goals," rued head coach David Moyes. "We've not had goals in the last two games, which is the bit that's been missing really.

"We did a lot of things; the players' effort, the spirit. Everything you'd want them to do, they did tonight. It was just a bit of quality or trying to hurt Arsenal a bit more. Arsenal have given up very few chances, and we just didn't get enough opportunities tonight.

"I thought we started the game well. I don't think we were under a great deal of pressure until the penalty kick. I think after the penalty kick, we were rocked a little bit.

"I think in the second half, we had to make the game more open, we had to be more committed than we'd been. We tried to get forward a bit more and quicker, but it also allowed Arsenal to have one or two brilliant passing moves.

"I thought we stuck at it, never gave in, we were always in the game right to the end. Credit to the players."