This was an ugly and attritional game of football, one that didn’t deserve a winner and never looked like getting one. No shortage of effort but an awful dearth of quality. Time to move on to the next one.

In terms of the result, neither team will be particularly upset. Unai Emery’s Villa will need to show a little of this stubbornness if they are to win a Champions League berth. This, rather strangely, was the first 0-0 Villa’s Spanish mastermind had ever overseen in the Premier League, a statistic covering 97 games in charge of his current club and, of course, Arsenal.

Everton, meanwhile, had lost their last three Premier League games. Progress under Sean Dyche had stalled a little under the weight of defeats against Tottenham, Manchester City and Wolves and, as such, this draw represented improvement. Sometimes in football that is all that matters.

Emery’s Villa are a good side. They come alive when they reach the final 30 yards of the field. Players like Leon Bailey, Douglas Luiz and the excellent Boubacar Kamara are exceptional footballers so keeping them out for 100 minutes – as it was here – is an achievement in itself. Dyche, a former central defender, will see the value in that.

In terms of significant action, Villa did have a goal ruled out in the 18th minute after Alex Moreno drove a low shot in at the Gladwys Street End on the working of a short corner. That was the talking point of the game by some distance.

Villa defender Alex Moreno looked to have given the visitors the lead with his strike from the edge of the penalty box, but it was later disallowed by VAR due to an offside in the build-up

The lengthy VAR check eventually ruled the goal out with Leon Bailey offside in the build up

Bailey was a toe-end ahead of the last Everton defender as Villa moved the ball back and around the top of the penalty area and, after the longest of VAR delays, the attempt was chalked off.

It was, it must be said, all a little confusing, a fact pointed to by the fact it took Stockley Park the best part of five minutes to reach a decision. What was clear is that it was all too much for both sets of supporters who joined forces in song to voice the unanimous view that the novelty of VAR has long since worn off. Point noted.

That apart, Villa’s goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez produced a terrific double save to deny Dominic Calvert-Lewin and James Garner just before half-time. This was another dispiriting afternoon for Calvert-Lewin who hasn’t scored since the autumn in the league and, with the European Championships on the horizon this summer, has lost his form at precisely the wrong time.

For all of this, Everton are barely recognisable from the team of last season. The impact of Dyche’s work is clear in just about everything this Everton team do. They are organised, committed and willing to push players forward when necessary. Last season they would have lost this game and that says much.

Early on they were actually the better side. Jack Harrison provided width down the right and Abdoulaye Doucoure was exhibiting familiar power and intelligence in central areas. Doucoure’s influence was not to last, however. He was often involved. He covers enormous amounts of ground. But too often here he was in runaway truck mode and too infrequently did he manage to locate the brakes.

Everton pushed their opponents back for a while but all they had to show for it was a mishit shot by the ultimately dreadful Arnaut Danjuma and a Garner free-kick in to the Villa wall.

Goodison Park was alive and optimistic for a while but once Villa arrived in the game after about 20 minutes they carried a greater threat

Ollie Watkins, an improved footballer, worked Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford from an angle in the 14th minute. Then, after the disqualification of the Moreno goal, Luiz played Watkins in down the right for a shot that rolled ominously across goal. When it was recycled, Luiz was involved again to set up Bailey courtesy of a John McGinn dummy. Pickford saved once again at his near post.

Villa were established as the dominant force by now but were almost undone as half-time neared. They were caught short of numbers and when Calvert-Lewin raced clear he was denied by the right foot of Martinez. The danger did not immediately pass for Villa and when Garner shot low first time within 20 seconds the World Cup winning goalkeeper produced an even better save, dropping sharply to his left to divert the ball past the post with both hands. He can be a bit of clown, Martinez. Some of his gamesmanship and play acting can be hard to stomach. But he’s very good goalkeeper and it’s because of that his team were level at half-time.

The Argentinian was not over employed in the second period and neither was Pickford. The game had hardly been free flowing in the opening 45 minutes but from that point on there was even less rhythm to it.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin had a golden opportunity to put his team up, but couldn’t guide his shot past Emiliano Martinez, whose outstretched leg denied Everton the best chance of the game

The match saw a lengthy stoppage after Vitaly Mykolenko and James Tarkowski clashed heads

The clash developed into a fiery affair as frustrations on both sides boiled over on the pitch

Sporting a Terry Butcher-esque bandage, Vitaly Mykolenko (above) produced multiple crucial challenges in the closing stages, earning Sean Dyche’s side an important clean sheet

McGinn took steady aim from the edge of the penalty area on the hour before planting a shot a foot or so wide of Pickford’s right hand post. At the other end Danjuma shot tamely wide on the hour and that was pretty much his last contribution. Danjuma has not been a regular pick while on loan from Villarreal and in the week his agent was on the radio talking up a move to Lyon. On this evidence, the winger would not be missed.

Beyond all that that there was a late scramble in the Everton penalty box where a Vitali Mykolenko tackle and Seamus Coleman block were equally important before Villa substitute Jhon Duran poked a near post effort across goal and wide. That was close.

At the other end, meanwhile, Doucoure powered clear down the left to smash the ball past Martinez only to be hauled back for offside. This time the infringement was crystal clear.