Alex Moreno had the ball in the net for Aston Villa before VAR disallowed the goal for an offside in the build-up
Aston Villa missed the chance to move level on points with Premier League pace-setters Liverpool as they were forced to settle for a draw in a scrappy, low-quality encounter with Everton at Goodison Park.
In the first goalless draw in manager Unai Emery’s 97 top-flight games with Arsenal and Villa, his side could not produce the decisive moment to enable them to overhaul Manchester City and move into second place.
Villa thought they had taken a first-half lead when Alex Moreno rifled a 25-yard finish past Everton keeper Jordan Pickford but the goal was ruled out for offside after a four-minute video assistant referee (VAR) check.
Everton had chances of their own before the break but the struggling Dominic Calvert-Lewin could not beat Emi Martinez after racing clear, the Villa keeper then producing a superb save from James Garner.
Villa pressed after the interval, with Jhon Duran coming close, but this very poor game eventually fizzled out into a draw.
Everton remain 17th, one point above the relegation zone.
Calvert-Lewin struggles continue
Everton’s lack of a goalscoring spearhead has been a constant source of concern but it was hoped the return to fitness of England striker Calvert-Lewin after a couple of injury-plagued seasons would provide the answer.
He showed signs of promise on his return earlier this season but has been suffering a barren spell. This was his 13th game without a goal and he was replaced by Beto after 63 minutes.
Calvert-Lewin last scored in the win at West Ham United in October and his lack of confidence was painfully illustrated when he missed the best chance Everton carved out just before half-time.
He raced clear with time and space, and with only Martinez to beat, but he never looked convincing and his finish was kept out by the Villa keeper.
“I keep reminding him the further away it gets, the closer it gets. One will go in,” said Everton boss Sean Dyche.
“He did everything right, hit it hard and low and the keeper makes a good save. I hope he’s not worried about it. He’s working hard all the time, that’s what we want.”
Calvert-Lewin is not short of endeavour but he is struggling badly. Everton will need him to pull out of the slump quickly as more goals will be a crucial commodity in their fight for Premier League survival. It may not be long before Dyche is tempted to give £25m signing Beto an extended run.
Elsewhere, it was a landmark day for Everton’s 35-year-old captain Seamus Coleman, who established a club record by making his 355th Premier League appearance.
Coleman has been a magnificent servant for Everton since he was signed for £60,000 from Sligo Rovers in January 2009. The right-back’s subsequent career has been an outstanding example of professionalism – and money well spent.
Everton fans held up a banner in honour of long-serving defender Seamus Coleman before the game with Aston Villa
Mixed feelings for Villa
Aston Villa may feel a draw at Goodison Park against this well-drilled Everton side is not an unacceptable outcome but in reality they should have claimed all three points.
They were denied Moreno’s first-half strike by VAR and while Everton had Calvert-Lewin’s big chance late in the first half, it was Villa doing all the pressing after half-time.
John McGinn was narrowly wide from the edge of the area, Everton defender Vitaliy Mykolenko made a crucial block from Matty Cash, while Duran’s late glance went narrowly wide of the far post.
In the end, deadlock was the outcome and Everton will probably be happier with that conclusion than Villa.
“It is not enough for us, the point we achieved today,” said Villa boss Emery.
“Now we have 43 points and are keeping more or less the the same position for the next couple of weeks (Villa do not play again in the Premier League until 30 January) but we have to be focused on each match, but also to improve what we can.”
It was only the third time this season that Villa have failed to score in the Premier League, the other occasions being defeats at Liverpool and Nottingham Forest.
Emery’s proud record of never having a goalless draw as a Premier League manager is over. And this was just the type of undistinguished game that deserved to end it.
Player of the match
BranthwaiteJarrad Branthwaite
Everton
Squad number32Player nameBranthwaite
Squad number23Player nameColeman
Squad number19Player nameMykolenko
Squad number6Player nameTarkowski
Squad number11Player nameHarrison
Squad number37Player nameGarner
Squad number1Player namePickford
Squad number16Player nameDoucouré
Squad number7Player nameMcNeil
Squad number8Player nameOnana
Squad number14Player nameBeto
Squad number10Player nameDanjuma
Squad number9Player nameCalvert-Lewin
Aston Villa
Squad number1Player nameE Martínez
Squad number44Player nameKamara
Squad number15Player nameÁlex Moreno
Squad number6Player nameDouglas Luiz
Squad number3Player nameDiego Carlos
Squad number17Player nameLenglet
Squad number4Player nameKonsa
Squad number8Player nameTielemans
Squad number7Player nameMcGinn
Squad number2Player nameCash
Squad number11Player nameWatkins
Squad number31Player nameBailey
Squad number19Player nameDiaby
Squad number24Player nameDurán
Squad number22Player nameZaniolo
Line-ups
Everton
Formation 4-2-3-1
1Pickford
23Coleman6Tarkowski32Branthwaite19Mykolenko
8Onana37Garner
11Harrison16Doucouré10Danjuma
9Calvert-Lewin
1Pickford23Coleman6TarkowskiBooked at 72mins32Branthwaite19Mykolenko8Onana37Garner11Harrison16Doucouré10DanjumaSubstituted forMcNeilat 63’minutes9Calvert-LewinSubstituted forGomes Betuncalat 63’minutesSubstitutes2Patterson5Keane7McNeil12Neves Virgínia14Gomes Betuncal21André Gomes22Godfrey28Ramalho Chermiti61Dobbin
Aston Villa
Formation 4-4-2
1E Martínez
4Konsa3Diego Carlos17Lenglet15Moreno
31Bailey44Kamara6Douglas Luiz7McGinn
19Diaby11Watkins
1E Martínez4Konsa3Diego CarlosBooked at 48minsSubstituted forCashat 74’minutes17LengletBooked at 73mins15Moreno31BaileySubstituted forDuránat 64’minutes44Kamara6Douglas Luiz7McGinnSubstituted forZanioloat 89’minutes19DiabySubstituted forTielemansat 64’minutesBooked at 75mins11WatkinsBooked at 31minsSubstitutes2Cash8Tielemans22Zaniolo24Durán32Dendoncker42Marschall47Iroegbunam64Wright
Referee:David Coote
Attendance:39,284
Live Text
Match ends, Everton 0, Aston Villa 0.
Second Half ends, Everton 0, Aston Villa 0.
Attempt missed. Amadou Onana (Everton) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right.
Foul by Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa).
James Tarkowski (Everton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt missed. Jhon Durán (Aston Villa) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Álex Moreno with a cross.
Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution, Aston Villa. Nicolò Zaniolo replaces John McGinn.
Offside, Everton. Abdoulaye Doucouré is caught offside.
Attempt missed. Jhon Durán (Aston Villa) left footed shot from the right side of the six yard box misses to the left. Assisted by Matty Cash with a cross.
Attempt blocked. John McGinn (Aston Villa) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Matty Cash.
Attempt blocked. Matty Cash (Aston Villa) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Ollie Watkins.
Attempt missed. Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa) right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box misses to the right. Assisted by Álex Moreno with a cross.
Offside, Everton. Beto is caught offside.
Foul by Douglas Luiz (Aston Villa).
Amadou Onana (Everton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt blocked. Abdoulaye Doucouré (Everton) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Amadou Onana.
2024-01-14 18:58:56
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