Dominant Everton denied by Martinez as big chances slip away at Hill Dickinson

Everton walked off to warm applause and a flicker of frustration after a goalless draw with Aston Villa that they controlled from the start. The numbers told one story – 20 shots to six – but the only column that mattered would not budge, as Beto passed up two clear openings and Emiliano Martinez produced the afternoon’s decisive saves.

Jack Grealish, the Premier League’s player of the month, orchestrated from the left and created Michael Keane’s best looks, yet Villa’s returning World Cup winner barred the way. The result denied David Moyes’ side the chance to move level with Arsenal and Liverpool and kept them fifth despite another performance built on energy, structure and front-foot intent.

Blue wave at the new home, stop-start on the pitch

Everton’s new waterside home crackled as the hosts pushed Villa back, funnelling attacks through Iliman Ndiaye and Grealish to turn pressure into chances. 'The two of them were fantastic in their ball-carrying and one v one situations,' Moyes said, and the pattern bore him out as Everton repeatedly progressed into dangerous areas.

What stalled them was the match’s choppy, ill-tempered rhythm and a referee who never let it breathe. Stoppages and fouls blunted momentum, drawing irritation from the stands toward Simon Hooper as Villa clung on.

Beto’s day to forget and the No 9 conundrum

The afternoon’s hinge moment arrived almost immediately: Ndiaye rolled a pass across an open net and Beto miskicked. A ragged opening 10 minutes followed – a shot cannonned off his standing leg, an unnecessary offside, then a heavy touch when a cleaner one would have made him favourite to score. After the interval he could only glance James Garner’s inviting cross.

Moyes hooked him with 15 minutes to go for Thierno Barry, who nearly provided the twist only for Tyrone Mings to block. The manager did not hide the selection puzzle: 'I might just chop and change (striker) for no particular reason… I don’t want to put too much pressure on him straight away.' The platform is solid; the cutting edge is still missing.

Grealish takes centre stage in blue

Against his former club, Grealish dominated the ball and the narrative. A low, driven strike drew a first-half save from Martinez; the bigger moments came from his delivery. One cross put Keane’s forehead on the winner until the goalkeeper’s reflexes intervened; another found the defender stretching but just unable to force it in.

Even taunts of 'You’re not super any more' from the away corner were half-hearted. Wherever Grealish drifted, Villa doubled up and he still wriggled free, drawing fouls and territory. The supply line is there for Everton – now it needs a finisher to match.

Martinez the difference between one and three

Reinstalled after transfer talk and a failed move before the deadline, Martinez was Villa’s saviour. He repelled Grealish’s early effort and, midway through the second half, sprang to tip Keane’s point-blank header away when Hill Dickinson was ready to erupt.

At the close he waved and tapped the badge in front of the travelling support – an acknowledgement of the point he alone secured. Moyes’ verdict summed up the afternoon: 'We had the best of it and feel a bit unlucky not to come away with three points… I’m pleased because the players put in a brilliant performance.'

Perspective, points dropped, and what’s next

Everton’s improvement under Moyes is unmistakable – more intensity, more invention, more to enjoy – but as this 90 minutes showed, the leap from dominance to ruthlessness is the hardest of all. Talk of Europe can wait; the fundamentals look sound.

They remain fifth and head across the city for the Merseyside derby on 20 September before visiting Wolves in the Carabao Cup on 23 September. Find the finishing touch, and days like this turn into the statement wins the performances deserve.