Niggly stalemate soured by shocking Calvert-Lewin miss

Everton 0 - 0 Aston Villa

Everton and Aston Villa played out a niggly stoppage-ridden apology for a football match at Goodison Park in front of the Sky cameras in this afternoon's Premier League clash.

Abdoulaye Doucouré returns to the first team while Dwight McNeil is fit enough to appear on the bench as he quickly recovers from his knee injury.  Arnaut Danjuma is given a starting spot in his place. 

The visitors kicked off but it was pretty well contested stuff, Garner getting a smack in the face from Kamara. Pickford's deep free-kick saw someone offside. Good steady build-up by Everton won the first corner, but Marinez gobbled it up. 

Harrison got down the wing and put in a great cross that Danjuma looked to volley but he hit it all wrong and did nothing with it when the ball came back to him. 

Onana was well on it to take the ball off Douglas Luiz but had to lunge at it and keeper Martinez. From another Everton free-kick, Douglas Luiz was called for pulling Branthwaite's shirt (why no yellow card?) but Garner drove the set-piece into the Villa wall. 

Danjuma overlapped brilliantly and crossed in well for Doucoure but he couldn't get his feet around the ball and missed the chance to score. A great start from Everton but, as ever, nothing to show for it. 

It was 12 minutes before Villa really mounted an attack, Watkins not fooling Pickford with a clever shot to the far side of goal. Douglas Luiz committed yet another foul, this one on Onana. 

Villa then had a spell of pressure until Onana stole it back but overhit his through ball for Calvert-Lewin, Villa responding by winning a corner. It was worked short and Moreno lashed a good shot inside Pickford. Danjuma was seriously obstructed in the 6-yard area by Linglet in the build-up and the VAR looked at offside, with the Everton player dragged to the floor, and they took an age to finally decide that the goal should not stand. Offside, but it should have been for the foul on Danjuma. 

Villa pushed forward again, winning another corner that was cleared but Harrison could not challenge McGinn cleanly to set up a counter, and Villa came at them again. The Blues responded well but Harrison's pass forward to play in Calvert-Lewin was woefully under-hit.

Pickford showed rash judgement, rushing out to the wing for a forward ball bouncing ahead of Moreno. Luckily Coleman was across in a flash to rescue him with a welly into Row Z. But Villa got through twice more, the second a goalbound shot by Bailey that was saved brilliantly by Pickford down to his left. 

It was now almost all one-way traffic toward Pickford's goal, Everton with rare moments to counter that they only messed up.  Watkins was shown a yellow for an aerial forearm smash to the head that drew blood from Tarkowski. Of course he had to leave the field for 30 seconds – not really feigning injury!

Everton produced a tremendous press, but Danjuma was almost too greedy, his shot deflected behind for a corner that eventually forced a turnover. On the corner, Calvert-Lewin was pushed over by Douglas Luiz, again unpunished. 

Another Villa ball over the top for Watkins was finally flagged offside, with the crowd getting into it. Everton were running hard for the high press but Villa were able to break out only to be well thwarted. But Harrison was impeeded in midfield after he smacked the ball in Moreno's face. 

The deep free-kick in was messy and didn't stick. The ball just wasn't running for the Blue shirts, although there seemed a lot more in Claret every time they tried to get forward. 

A brilliant ball forward from Danjuma sent Calvert-Lewin free in on gaol and absolutely 100% certain to score. But of course, that's not what happened, the Everton striker's shot nowhere near good enough to beat Martinez's outstretched leg. From the corner, Garner's strike forced a much better one-handed save from Martinez. 

Everton looked to get behind the high Aston Villa back line but that meant three of them were offside for a fine deep cross that Mykolenko could only play in to Martinez. Coleman caught Moreno and the free-kick almost produced another goal for Villa but play was called back for a foul. 

Villa were so quick to threaten again but Pickford was out quickly to deny Diaby near the end of 8 minutes of added time.  

The second half began with Everton losing possession and Villa launching a high cross over everyone. But Everton were on the back foot, with key interceptions needed from Branthwaite and Tarkowski. 

Diego Carlos was booked after he lost the ball into touch for an Everton throw-in, then picked it up and tossed it infield to another teammate. Tarkowski and Mykolenko both went for the same ball and clashed heads horribly, Mykolenko needing the most attention and having to go off for treatment. 

Mykolenko retuned with his head bandaged. Everton kept Villa pinned back with some great high pressing, Danjuma again playing in Calvert-Lewin who lost it almost immediately. Garner was next to be in the wars, a hand in the face, but the free-kick was easily gathered by Martinez. 

Villa did well to break out and it looked like Diaby Villa won a corner would run on but Branthwaite brilliantly stole the ball off him before Villa won a corner that was cleared. 

Everton pressed forward again but Coleman's cross was repelled and Onana could not get a clear shot. Then Doucore lost the ball in an advanced position allowing Villa to counter, McGinn lashing a fearsome shot just wide. 

At the other end, Harrison crossed to Danjuma but his first-time shot screwed across goal and wide. And it was back up the other end for another Villa corner, DIaby unable to beat Pickford. Everton tried to break but Danjuma was offside. Beto and Mcneil came on, like for like, as per usual. 

Villa continued to get forward at pace, Duran firing wide.  Everton got forward but McNeil overhit his first cross. The stoppages continued, Onana getting a painful knock in the crotch. 

Diego Carlos fouled Beto in midfield, Pickford stepping up to launch one from the centre-circle. Tarkwoski was restrained by Diego Carlos and he slid in strongly to dispossess Morneo, causing the Villa players to react, which caused the Everton players to grab their handbags. Coleman and Tielelmans wouldn't let it drop, but were not booked., with Diego Carlos wisely removed from the fray.

But still it was fractious, Tielemans finally booked after being very aggressive. McNeil's free-kick easily plucked out of the air by Martinez. Villa came forward again but there was no power in the final header and Pickford launched a counter that petered out. 

Tarkowski took out his man from behind and that would normally be a yellow caard but he had already been booked. Villa kept up the pressure, Pickford having to punch away a cross. 

A tremendous curling shot from Tielemans was somehow stopped by Branthwaite. Doucoure seemed to get free but his run stalled. It was end to end as Douglas Luiz lofted a cross in, then he put Onana into a head-lock. Duran was next pushing Mykolenko in the head, which Branthwaite took exception to. 

There was a real scramble in front of Pickford, Mykolenko down brilliantly to deny Cash and somehow Everton cleared the ball away. Villa put together the best move with Cash controlling the ball and putting in a very dangerous cross that Duran touched on, just outside the far post. 

Doucoure got behind Villa's high line and scored well but he was deemed to have been a yard offside. The game was extended with 7 minutes of added time, the relentless battle continuing back and forth, Duran heading wide. 

McNeil released Harrison wide right with a tremendous crossfield pass but Beto could not get to his cross in. Watkins then just threw Tarkowski to the floor as Villa attacked. 

Everton tried toress again and it fell to Doucoure but his shot was well high and wide. An appropriate end to a very strange game of nasty niggles with hardly any proper football.  

Everton: Pickford; Coleman [Y:67'], Tarkowski [Y:70'], Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Onana, Garner; Harrison, Doucoure; Danjuma (63' McNeil), Calvert-Lewin (63' Beto).

Subs not Used: Virginia, Patterson, Keane, Gomes, Godfrey, Chermiti, Dobbin.

Aston Villa: Martinez; Konsa, Diego Carlos [Y:48'] (77' Cash),  Lenglet, Alex Moreno; Kamara, Douglas Luiz; Bailey (64' Duran), McGinn (89' Zaniolo); Diaby (64' Tielemans [Y:]75'), Watkins [Y:31'].

Subs not Used: Marschall, Wright, Dendoncker, Iroegbunam.

Attendance: 39,284

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