In a first half that was all bark and no bite, the north London side dominated their visitors yet it took until the 70th minute for the hosts to break down their opponents on Saturday.
An Alex Song pass carved open the Everton back four, allowing Robin van Persie to stride on and sink a left-footed, first-time volley in off the far post.
The goal took the Arsenal captain to just one goal off Thierry Henry's club record for goals in a calendar year, with the Frenchman watching from the stands.
It was a win that crystallised Arsenal's Premier League renaissance, carrying them into the top four for the first time this season.
The home side enjoyed the better start, regularly threatening with the pace of wide men Theo Walcott and Gervinho on the counter.
It was the English winger who burst through for the first chance, opting to square for Gervinho, though the Ivorian was distracted enough by Tony Hibbert to miscue his effort.
Aaron Ramsey manoeuvred excellently in the box after being slid through by Song but his left-footed effort hit the top of the net moments before Tim Howard denied Gervinho from close range.
Arsenal turned the screw as the half reached its closing stages, though with Walcott getting the better of Leighton Baines several times down the right flank, the hosts were still denied the lead.
The second half started in the same vein as the first and in the same exasperating fashion.
Walcott blazed over after cutting in off the wing, then stung Howard's palms with a drive from similar range before Thomas Vermaelen halted a rare Everton attack, by taking the ball off the head of Tim Cahill at the far post.
With David Moyes opting to introduce Sylvain Distin for Saha with half an hour left, the Gunners job of breaking down the back four was made all the more difficult.
Neville bent one just over the bar as Everton began to sense that they could steal a point.
However, that sentiment was snatched away as van Persie broke the deadlock in emphatic style.
Song lofted a delightful ball over the top of the Everton back four and the Gunners' captain latched onto the pass, striking the ball first time with his left foot as it went in off the far post.
Substitute Conor McAleny nearly equalised for Everton in the dying seconds, but the result, and the three points, belonged to Arsenal on a momentous day in the history of the club.
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