Everton and Chelsea satisfied after hard-fought stalemate

For Everton it was another valuable step in their fight to climb away from the Premier League drop zone and boosted the new mood of optimism following the take-over of the Merseyside club by The Friedkin Group.

For Chelsea it stretched their unbeaten run in all competitions to 12 games, kept them on the coat-tails of leaders Liverpool and showed Maresca his young team can adapt their undoubted collective talents to slug it out against physical opponents and when weather conditions are not conducive to flowing football.

December looked a bleak month of fixtures for Everton, especially when it started with a 4-0 humbling at Old Trafford. But since then they have hammered fellow-strugglers Wolves 4-0, seen the Merseyside derby postponed, and battled out two successive goal-less draws with title chasers Arsenal and now Chelsea.

And in their current stubborn defensive mood they will fancy their chances of getting something from a Stephen's Day visit to Pep Guardiola's Manchester City.

Like the rest of the crowd, Marc Watts, the new executive chairman installed by the Friedkin Group, may not have hugely entertained but he could not fail to be impressed with Everton's spirit and defensive solidarity.

They have now kept seven clean sheets in their last 10 games and slugged out five goal-less draws. But on the down side they continue to find goals hard to come by - this was the ninth time in 17 games they have failed to find the net Dyche, however, knows if they can keep it tight at the back they will almost certainly stay up. "It was tough conditions but we found a way to get another clean sheet and a deserved point. I think the draw was a fair result.

"I said before game Enzo Maresca has done a fine job and they have certainly shown the power they have got. We could have nicked it. It was two teams going at it in the right way. You have to be willing to put a shift in and I think that was on show today.

"Chances were minimal. They had a couple and we had a couple towards the end. We take a point. I've never not been proud of these players. We've come through a storm. I respect them. We want to be productive in possession but its not easy against these teams. 

 “That is five clean sheets out of the last six games. We knew we had to correct the early season results, the challenge is now to find that balance. I'm pleased with the mentality. "

Dyche is out of contract in the summer when the perceived wisdom is that the new owners will appoint a new manager.

But if he keeps Everton up again, he will feel he deserves the chance to continue - with a proper transfer budget. And this draw will not have done him any harm.

“It wasn't my only goal to do that [impress the new owners] but it is a nice add-on," he added. "We've had a good meeting with them, they seem really good, really serious people. But I'm not naive - you have to win games."

Maresca said: "I am very proud today. I said to the players I am happier than after we beat Brentford last week because the performance of the boys was fantastic. Sometimes you have to play a different game and you have to learn how to play different games: long ball, second ball, set-pieces.

"Football is not only just how good you play on the ball, it is how you defend and how you deal with that. Defensively Everton one of the five best teams in Europe in terms of clean sheets and you struggle to create chances against them."

Everton might have snatched all three points but for superb block by Tosin Adarabioyo when Illiman Ndiaye looked certain to score midway through the second half.

Jack Harrison also missed a good close range while Chelsea keeper Robert Sanchez twice made fine saves from Orel Mangala shots.

But Chelsea also had opportunities, with Nicolas Jackson twice denied by Jordan Pickford and also sending a header against the post in a game that will not live long in the memory banks.

Everton (4-2-3-1): Pickford 8; Young 7 (Coleman 73, 6), Tarkowski 7, Branthwaite 7, Mykolenko 7; Mangala 7, Gueye 7; Harrison 5 (Lindstrom 73, 5), Doucoure 6, Ndiaye 6; Calvert-Lewin 5 (Bero 73, 5).

Unused subs: Virginia, Patterson, Keane, O'Brien, Chermiti, Armstrong.

Booked; Ndiaye, Pickford, Young, Beto.

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Sanchez 7; Gusto 6, Adarabioyo 6, Disasi 6, Colwill 6; Caicedo 7, Fernandez 8; Neto 7 (Madueke 75, 6), Palmer 7, Sancho 6; Jackson 6 (Nkunku 75, 5).

Unused subs: Jorgensen, Felix, Casadei, George Acheampong, Guiu, Veiga.

Booked; Disasi.

Referee: Chris Kavanagh 7.