On the difference in values of the Euler totient function near prime arguments

We prove unconditionally that for each $\mathrm{\ell }\ge 1$, the difference $\varphi (p-\mathrm{\ell })-\varphi (p+\mathrm{\ell })$ is positive for $50\mathrm{\%}$ of odd primes $p$ and negative for $50\mathrm{\%}$.