• Everton and Chelsea both struggled to create chances at Goodison Park
• A win would have taken Chelsea above Liverpool
• The Toffees have recorded four 0-0 draws from their last six games

Everton 0-0 Chelsea: Player ratings as the Toffees battle out goalless draw

Chelsea were held to a tepid 0-0 draw by Everton at Goodison Park on Sunday afternoon.

This was a contest which underscored the reality that beauty is not the goal of competitive sport. Sean Dyche's hosts battled, bumped and bruised their visitors, fighting their way to a second goalless stalemate after last weekend's draw with Arsenal.

Enzo Maresca's side squandered the few chances they had, passing up the opportunity to move above Liverpool - however briefly - at the Premier League summit.

How the game unfolded

Everton, as is their signature style regardless of setting or opponent under Dyche, ceded the initiative. The compact mass of blue shirts managed to stymy the visitors for 25 minutes. However, one crunching tackle from Moises Caicedo broke Everton's rearguard, setting off a chain reaction of numerical superiority which ended with Cole Palmer squaring for Nicolas Jackson.

Chelsea's in-form forward dragged a close-range effort straight into the midriff of Jordan Pickford. Malo Gusto was wayward with his header on the rebound.

Jackson was presented with another glaring opportunity shortly after the half-hour mark. Stooping to meet a corner which had swung all the way round the back of Everton's box, the Senegal international somehow conspired to head his effort against the post from three yards out.

Iliman Ndiaye carried Everton's greatest threat, invariably by carrying the ball. The wriggling forward jinked away from Axel Disasi before picking out Jack Harrison at the back post. Afforded the freedom of Goodison, Harrison had his close-range effort smothered by an outrushing Robert Sanchez.

Chelsea left their minds in the cramped dressing rooms during the interval. Levi Colwill lost a wrestling match with Beto in the centre circle, watching on from the turf as Everton mounted another forward surge. A combination of Tosin Adarabioyo and Sanchez just about managed to clear Jesper Lindstrom's low cross as Ndiaye came hurtling into the box, desperately preserving Chelsea's clean sheet.

In the end, neither backline would be breached.