Chelsea miss out on top spot after being held to goalless draw at Everton

Chelsea squandered the chance to put pressure on Premier League leaders Liverpool as they were held to a goalless draw by Everton at Goodison Park.

Sean Dyche’s side became the first team since Newcastle in October to prevent the Londoners from scoring – and only the third this season – and that brought to an end an eight-match winning run.

While there was no immediate new owner bounce for the Toffees, watched by incoming executive chairman Marc Watts and other representatives of The Freidkin Group after Thursday’s takeover, this was a continuation of the progress which has brought a degree of stability on the pitch.

Everton have lost only two of the last 12, but have only recorded three wins and it is evident where improvements need to be made, although that is unlikely to be rectified in the January transfer window regardless of the new ownership.

An in-form Chelsea team, who had a chance to go top of the table for the first time in three years, were strangely subdued and even the usually-reliable Cole Palmer could not find a way through the hosts’ blockade.

Everton have had plenty of practice, with last weekend’s goalless draw at Arsenal ideal preparation for nullifying a team which had scored 26 goals in their last eight games.

A seventh clean sheet in the last 10 outings showed Dyche, whose future remains up for debate with his contract expiring in the summer, has at least succeeded in getting things right at one end of the pitch.

Part of that was due to Everton’s organisation and the continued excellence of Jordan Pickford, whose instinctive close-range save from Nicolas Jackson midway through the first half was hugely significant in the outcome.

The England goalkeeper denied Jackson again but from the resulting corner was indebted to his left-hand post as the Chelsea striker headed Enzo Fernandez’s cross against the upright.

Pickford, however, was fortunate his reckless charge at Malo Gusto’s follow-up did not result in catastrophe as only the faintest of touches before he sent the defender flying saved him from conceding a penalty.

Everton’s one chance of the half came when Orel Mangala forced Robert Sanchez into a save low to his right after Iliman Ndiaye had released Abdoulaye Doucoure in a two-on-two.

Ndiaye started the second half brightly and when he crossed to the far post Jack Harrison shot at Sanchez with Doucoure to his left on the edge of the six-yard area.

Chelsea maintained their territorial advantage but struggled to create anything in the way of serious chances, with Pickford saving Fernandez’s shot from distance at the second attempt.

Ndiaye’s shot was blocked in a goalmouth scramble which almost produced a late winner but the hosts walked away with a fully-deserved point to increase supporters’ optimism in a week which also saw them take control of the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock.