SUPPORTERS travelling to the Emirates yesterday on the underground were greeted with posters promoting the forthcoming Bill Kenwright production of The Wizard Of Oz.

But while there were no tin men or cowardly lions among the cast of the theatre impresario’s other great love last night, Everton discovered that real life, unlike fairytales, has a nasty habit of failing to follow the script.

Underdogs don’t always win. Yet for much of this encounter, it appeared as though David Moyes’s players would once again pick the pockets of the so-called big boys.

While the debate over whether Louis Saha’s controversial 24th-minute opener will no doubt rage for days, there was no doubting Everton’s commitment and application last night.

However, the sheer volume of Arsenal’s second-half pressure ultimately told when, six minutes after Andriy Arshavin’s 70th-minute equaliser, Laurent Koscielny headed home to end Everton’s five-match unbeaten run.

Most frustrating for Goodison manager Moyes is that both goals owed as much to sloppy Everton defending as incisive Arsenal play.

The visitors deserved better than to lose in such a manner, such was their contribution to an engrossing if somewhat bad-tempered encounter played amid a crackling Emirates atmosphere. Yes, really.

Saha led the line superbly until fading during the past hour, while Marouane Fellaini strode the midfield with purpose before being unable to stem the inevitable home tide.

Yet the concern remains for Moyes that the Everton defence, normally the cornerstone of his teams, continues to prove so porous with only one clean sheet in the last 16 games.

It was a remarkable statistic that Arsenal’s starting line-up last night cost less than Fernando Torres, while the outlay for Everton’s first XI was only marginally more than that for the Spaniard.