LIVERPOOL, England — Mikel Arteta said Arsenal were not distracted by Manchester City moving top of the Premier League before the Gunners reclaimed number one spot hours later with a 1-0 win at Everton.

A first-half Viktor Gyökeres penalty sealed a narrow victory for Arsenal after City had temporarily climbed top with a home win against West Ham earlier on Saturday.

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Arsenal had been seven points clear of City just a month ago, but Pep Guardiola’s side have closed the gap with a five-game winning streak that has coincided with Arteta’s team dropping points with a draw at Chelsea and defeat at Aston Villa.

But despite City increasing the pressure on Arsenal ahead of their clash with David Moyes’ Everton, Arteta said it had no impact on his players.

“We are not looking at that,” Arteta said when asked about City’s victory. “I know you guys do.

Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal beat Everton to keep Manchester City at bay in the Premier League title race. Ben Roberts – Danehouse/Getty Images

“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 is this league.

“That’s it. Enjoy every day. Do your best and see what we’re going to get.”

Arsenal saw Leandro Trossard and Martín Zubimendi hit the post as they attempted to extend their lead in the second half, but Arteta’s team also survived a penalty scare when VAR assessed a possible foul on Thierno Barry by William Saliba before the challenge was deemed not to have been strong enough to warrant a spot-kick.

Despite the failure to win more comfortably, Arteta said his players would take a valuable lesson from the game.

“The [winning] margin should have been bigger, but that is what we have to do — learn, but keep winning,” he said.

“We knew it would be a really tough match. In the second half we should have scored a second or third goal to be more relaxed. We didn’t do that and against this type of team it can be tense.

“Every team brings different situations. They used the keeper to play long balls and the game becomes more chaotic and stretched and you have to dominate that game and we managed to do it.

“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 winning and that’s why we have to enjoy and take it game by game.”