Everton hosted Swansea City at Goodison Park this afternoon as both sides resumed Premier League duties following a profitable cup break.
Both sides had established themselves as tough teams to beat, and that proved to be the case again today as Swansea frustrated the Toffees by holding out for a 0-0 draw.
Everton had a number of chances to break the deadlock, but found themselves lacking a cutting edge whenever they got past the stubborn Swansea defence.
The visitors hit the woodwork themselves through Michu, but were second best for much of the match as they held out for a good point.
Read how events unfolded with Sports Mole's minute-by-minute coverage below.
Good afternoon! Thank you for joining Sports Mole for today's match between Everton and Swansea!
Everton will be looking to continue their fine season this afternoon and will fancy their chances against a side ninth in the Premier League table. A win could see the Toffees move into the top four, depending on Chelsea's result at Stoke.
Swansea will certainly not be pushovers today, however. Their 2-0 win over Chelsea on Wednesday proved that they can pull off a result away from home, and Everton will be fully aware of the danger that they pose.
Neither side has yet made major waves in the transfer window this month, but they have certainly been under the spotlight.
Everton's Marouane Fellaini has reportedly attracted interest from the likes of Manchester United, but the Toffees will be desperate to keep the Belgian until at least this summer.
Swansea, meanwhile, look likely to hold on to Spanish sensation Michu. Michael Laudrup called him the "bargain of the season" at £2.2m, and it's hard to disagree. Michu is joint-third on the top scorers list, behind only Luis Suarez and Robin van Persie.
Everton will be fully aware of the threat that Michu poses, as Swansea will be with Fellaini, but both sides have other players that can hurt the opposition.
Everton, for instance, can call upon Nikica Jelavic, Steven Pienaar and Leon Osman, to name just three. Jelavic has perhaps been short of his usual clinical best recently, but the latter two are big reasons why Everton are enjoying such a good season.
Right then, time to bring you some team news I think!
Everton make just one change from their FA Cup success over Cheltenham at the weekend, bringing in Pienaar for Oviedo, which means that Victor Anichebe holds on to his starting place up front.
Swansea, meanwhile, make four changes from their League Cup victory over Chelsea, including a return between the sticks for Vorm who replaces Tremmel. Tiendalli, Dyer and Agustien also come in for Laudrup's men.
EVERTON XI: Howard; Baines, Jagielka, Distin, Coleman; Osman, Pienaar, Neville, Fellaini; Jelavic, Anichebe
EVERTON SUBS: Mucha, Oviedo, Naismith, Hitzlsperger, Vellios, Kennedy, Duffy
SWANSEA XI: Vorm; Davies, Flores, Williams, Tiendalli; Rangel, Ki, Agustien, Dyer, Hernandez; Michu
SWANSEA SUBS: Tremmel, Bartley, Britton, Graham, Routledge, Monk, de Guzman
No real surprises in either lineup, then. It will be interesting to see whether Swansea approach today's match in a similar way to the Chelsea tie on Wednesday. Their confidence will certainly be sky-high and they will go into this match thinking that they can come away with all three points!
Looking back at the history between these two sides does not make pleasant reading for Swansea fans, though. They have never beaten Everton in the seven league meetings, with the closest they've come being a 2-2 draw waaaaay back in 1983.
Recent results are even more damning for the Welsh side. Since their return to the top division, they have lost every game against the Toffees and have yet to score past them! They have lost 1-0, 2-0 and 3-0 - any chance of a 4-0 win for Everton today?
The 3-0 was from earlier this season as Everton went to the Liberty Stadium and came back with a very impressive result courtesy of goals from Anichebe, Mirallas and Fellaini.
So, apart from beating Everton for the first time ever, Swansea will also be looking to score past the Toffees for the first time in just under 20 years!
Laudrup will be pointing towards their good away form this season as he tries to inspire that first win. The Swans have the seventh-best away record in the league this season, picking up 14 points on their travels.
Everton, however, have lost just once at home all season and have the sixth best home record in the league.
There is, of course, Premier League action going on elsewhere today and I will keep you updated with goings on around the country as the goals (hopefully) fly in!
Everton will be keeping a particularly close eye on the Chelsea result, while that match will also have repercussions for Swansea as they are level on points with Chelsea's opponents, Stoke.
There has already been one match played in the Premier League, and it resulted in another good point for QPR as they moved off the bottom of the table with a 0-0 draw against Tottenham.
Who, out of the two sides, needs to win most? Well, you'd probably have to say Everton. They are making a serious push for Champions League football next season and achieving a top four spot would be another fantastic feat to put on the CV of David Moyes. A win for Swansea would see them leapfrog Liverpool into eighth, though, and they still harbour hopes of European football next season.
Right, we're 10 minutes from kickoff now! That can only mean one thing - it's prediction time! This one is a tough one to call. Everton are undoubtedly favourites, but Swansea have shown that they can beat top teams away from home. Both sides are tough to beat, so I think this one will be a draw. If I was pushed for a scoreline I'd say 2-2, although an Everton win would not surprise me!
That prediction falls nicely in line with the one made in Sports Mole's preview of this match, which you can read here.
That prediction falls nicely in line with the one made in Sports Mole's preview of this match, which you can read here.
FIFA Coach of the Year Vincente del Bosque is in attendance today, perhaps to look at Michu? It says something for the depth of the Spanish squad that he hasn't got a sniff at a cap so far!
The teams come out of the tunnel at Goodison Park, we're nearing kickoff here!
Both sides come into this match in really good shape, which should provide the perfect conditions for an entertaining match today! Let's hope so!
Leon Osman has earned a lot of praise for his performances this season and he celebrates a decade of playing for Everton today. He made his first appearance for the club 10 years ago - a great milestone for a fine servant.
Right, we're about to get underway here at Goodison!
And we're off! Swansea begin the match and immedately begin to knock the ball about in their trademark style.
SHOT! There's the first sight of goal of the match and it's a decent chance for Fellaini. The defence opens up for him to shoot at goal, and he tries to curl it into the far post but it's easy for Vorm. Perhaps should have done better there.
CHANCE! Swansea were almost architects of their own downfall there! Davies loses the ball with a very sloppy backpass, but Vorm is out quickly to get there before Jelavic. He continues his run out to stop Anichebe's shot from almost 25 yards out, a great example of the sweeper keeper!
A long ball forward finds Dyer, who has beaten the offside trap. Jagielka gets back well to force him inside, however, and Dyer attempted pass to Michu is cut out.
A number of players have gone to ground in the early stages here, but Phil Dowd is having none of it. He seems keen to let this game flow, even if some of the tackles have actually been fouls!
He finally does blow his whistle as Osman comes through the back of Dyer, but Swansea's free kick comes to nothing.
Distin gives the ball away with a wayward pass and Ki tries to feed Hernandez down the right, but the French defender recovers well to see the ball back to Howard.
CHANCE! Oh great chance for Jelavic! He spins off Davies brilliantly at the back post to get on the end of a cross. He doesn't get the sweetest of contacts on his shot, but Vorm stumbles when trying to save and is very grateful to see it bobble just past the post.
Everton have most certainly been on top in the opening 10 minutes, and perhaps should be ahead already.
Baines has a good chance to pump a ball into the box from a free kick, but for once his trusty left foot lets him down and it is cleared by the first man.
Top defending from Chico Flores as he puts in a perfectly-timed challenge on Jelavic in the box just as the Croat looked like he had got past the Spaniard.
Anichebe feeds it down the right to Coleman, whose cross is deflected out for a corner. Baines will take it...
OFF THE LINE! All eyes were on Fellaini from the corner, but it goes to the near post were Jelavic gets a flick on. His effort beats Vorm but is hacked off the line by Tiendalli! The visitors look to break on the counter attack, but the final pass is just too heavy.
Replays suggest that Jelavic's header was actually going wide, but Tiendalli was right not to take any chances.
SHOT! A decent spell of possession ends with a Hernandez shot that goes high over the crossbar, but that's better football from the visitors.
Baines looks like he has got the better of Angel Rangel and advances into the box having dispossessed the full-back, but Dowd calls it back for a free kick.
The match has hit something of a lull in the last few minutes as Everton knock the ball around in defence and midfield, slowing the tempo down and restoring their grip on the match. Distin eventually pumps a long ball forward that Jelavic flicks on, but Vorm is on hand to collect the loose ball.
Baines wings a cross in, but Vorm comes out to claim it. He has been a towering presence for his defence to rely on so far today.
UPDATE: A quick update of goals elsewhere in the league so far today: Fulham have taken the lead against Wigan, West Brom lead Reading 1-0, and Sunderland are beating West Ham by the same scoreline.
Coleman intercepts a pass and immediately looks to drive forward before pinging a ball towards Jelavic. Flores stops the attack with a fine diving header back to Vorm, though.
OFF THE LINE! Everton patiently knock the ball around in the Swansea half before a ball into the box is won by Fellaini. He knocks it on to Anichebe, whose effort beats Vorm despite the keeper getting a touch, but once again a Swansea defender, this time Ashley Williams, is back in time to hook it off the line.
Anichebe's header just lacked the required power to beat Vorm, and the keeper's touch took the rest of the sting out of it, allowing Williams to get back in time.
Another long ball is aimed at Fellaini and he takes it down exquisitely on his chest, but his second touch comes off his arm and he is penalised for a handball.
UPDATE: Elsewhere, Southampton have taken the lead away to Aston Villa through Rickie Lambert! Big relegation battle there!
OFF THE BAR! That's the closest Swansea have come! Dyer advances with the ball on the break before finding Michu's run. The striker tries to lob Howard and almost gets his effort spot on, but the keeper just gets a fingertip to it and tips it onto the crossbar. Great effort!
CHANCE! Everton respond with a chance of their own, and what a chance! Coleman battles his way down the right and moves into the box before pulling the ball back to an unmarked Fellaini. The Belgian's effort is tame and straight at Vorm, however. He really should've done better there.
Everton have a free kick in a promising position here after Tiendalli is harshly punished for a tackle on Pienaar, who went down very easily.
CHANCE! It's a great delivery from Baines - how many times have we said that this season - and Osman gets on the end of it about seven yards from goal. His header goes some way wide, though, when he should have at least tested the keeper.
Flores clears Pienaar's cross out for a corner, which is played short before being returned to Baines. The full-back's cross finds Jagielka, but it's just too high for the centre-back to get any meaningful contact on it.
Probably Swansea's best passage of play there. They knock the ball about and Davies finds space down the left before firing a low cross into the box that Distin is well positioned to clear.
We will have one minute of added time here at Goodison.
HALF TIME: Everton 0-0 Swansea
Dowd blows the half-time whistle to call an end to an entertaining first 45 minutes. The 0-0 scoreline doesn't really do this match justice, we've had two efforts cleared off the line and one hit the crossbar, just no goals yet!
Everton undoubtedly had the better of that first half and should really be ahead. They've had a couple of really good chances but have lacked a cutting edge in front of goal. Their most effective means of attacking seems to be long balls up to Fellaini and Jelavic, and they have peppered the Swansea box with crosses. Coleman and Baines have given typically attacking displays and have set up a couple of really good chances.
Swansea, meanwhile, will be happy enough with that first half performance. Yes, they've been outplayed at times but they wouldn't have expected to have things all their own way at Goodison Park and can consider themselves fairly lucky to not be behind. Michu's lobbed attempt was a warning shot to Everton that, although they may have been on the back foot, they still possess the quality to nick a goal in this one.
Neither side will be discouraged by that half, that's for sure. Everton will be confident enough that they will claim all three points if they can carry on playing like they did in the first half. Similarly, Swansea will fancy their chances of at least holding on for a draw and perhaps even nicking a winner the longer it stays 0-0.
Right, let's have a look at some of the stats from that first period...
Everton have nine shots, five of which were on target, compared to Swansea's three, while they have enjoyed 54% possession.
And here are the half-time scores from other Premier League ties around the country: Aston Villa 0-1 Tottenham; Fulham 1-0 Wigan; Norwich 0-0 Newcastle; Norwich 0-1 West Brom; Stoke 0-1 Chelsea; Sunderland 1-0 West Ham.
Right, the teams are back out and ready to get this second half underway. Will we see a goal this half? Stick with us to find out!
Jelavic and Osman restart the match for Everton.
CHANCE! Great start to the half for Everton. Coleman makes yet another attacking run, cutting inside and advancing into the box. Neville steals it off his toes before trying to squeeze it past Vorm at the near post, but the keeper gets down well to shovel it out for a corner. Coleman isn't happy with his skipper, but that is a positive start for the hosts.
Everton have renewed their dominance in this second half and are racking up the corner count. They have another one here, their third of the half already.
CHANCE! It's another excellent delivery from Baines, and Distin gets up well to meet it, but Flores does just enough to make the header harder for the Frenchman, and his effort flies over the crossbar.
CHANCE! It's another excellent delivery from Baines, and Distin gets up well to meet it, but Flores does just enough to make the header harder for the Frenchman, and his effort flies over the crossbar.
Swansea have just stemmed the tide in the last few minutes after a whirlwind start to the half from Everton.
UPDATE: Sunderland have doubled their lead over West Ham courtesy of an Adam Johnson strike.
SHOT! Hernandez finds space to shoot on the edge of the Everton box, but his effort is fairly comfortable for Howard. Just another warning shot for the hosts though - they need a goal.
Everton certainly have an aerial threat, but whenever possible Vorm has coped with it brilliantly by coming off his line to claim the ball.
A scooped ball through to Jelavic almost gives the Croat a golden chance but Williams gets back in chance to deny him. Everton recycle the ball and, as it comes back into the box, Jelavic attempts a spectacular bicycle kick, only to completely miss the ball!
SWANSEA SUB: The first change of the day sees De Guzman replace Dyer.
YELLOW CARD! Dowd grows tiresome of Hernandez's persistent dissent and shows him a yellow card. Needless booking for the Swansea man there!
PENALTY SHOUT! Huge appeal from the home fans as Jelavic goes down under the challenge of Williams in the box, but Dowd is having none of it, and rightly so.
YELLOW CARD! Michu picks up a yellow card, his fifth of the season.
CHANCE! Jelavic rises highest at the back post to knock the ball down to Fellaini. The Belgian is about six yards out with his back to goal, but he just can't sort his feet out and William's is on him like a rash to get it away. Top defending from Williams there, he has been in fine form this season.
Another break from Swansea - I can see them nicking a goal on the counter today! This time it comes to nothing, however, as De Guzman's cross flashes across an empty box.
Everton are really knocking on the door! Osman gets to the byline and tries to pull a ball back, but it's cleared away by the stubborn Swansea defence. It comes back into the box but once again it is cleared away.
EVERTON SUB: It's an attacking change from Moyes as Naismith replaces Neville, which presumably means that Fellaini will drop deeper. Interesting decision as the Belgian has been Everton's main outlet for long balls forward today. A change of tactics perhaps?
De Guzman goes down in agony, and replays show that Pienaar caught him right on his ankle. Nasty-looking tackle but nothing malicious in it.
SWANSEA SUB: That's it for Pablo Hernandez's time in this match, he is replaced by Wayne Routledge.
CHANCE! Again, it's a perfect delivery from Baines from a corner and this time Jagielka rises, unmarked, from about six yards out but can only put his header over the bar. Really should've done better there!
It really is backs against the wall time for Swansea here! Everton are attacking at will, but Swansea are still holding firm! Moyes will be wondering how his team are not ahead here!
Osman and Jelavic exchange passes and Flores goes to ground in the box, just stealing the ball off Osman's toe. Risky tackle, but it paid off!
Del Bosque has left the building! The Spanish coach chose the wrong match if he wanted to see the best of Michu, but I'm sure he'll be fully aware of his talent.
YELLOW CARD! Baines picks up a yellow card for what looked like an accidental collision.
SWANSEA SUB: As Del Bosque leaves the ground, Michu leaves the pitch to be replaced by Danny Graham, who has scored four goals in his last four games.
Coleman hounds Routledge down in his own half, great desire from the full-back who has been a shining light for Everton today.
EVERTON SUB: A last throw of the dice from Moyes as Vellios comes on for Anichebe in a straight swap up front.
Fellaini charges forward again but yet another attack is halted by good Swansea defending, this time from Rangel who gets a strong challenge in. The visitors really have defended stoutly today.
Swansea have a chance to relieve the pressure and put the ball in the box now as Fellaini concedes a freekick from about 35 yards out, but the delivery is easy for Howard to claim.
Fellaini rises at the back post and wins yet another header that is scooped wide by Vorm. Dowd blows the whistle for a foul by the Belgian, however.
YELLOW CARD! Vorm becomes the latest player to enter the referee's notebook as he is penalised for time wasting.
CHANCE! Another sight of goal for Everton, this time for Jelavic. The Croat exchanges passes with Vellios in the box but snaps at the return ball and fires it over the bar.
YELLOW CARD! Tiendalli goes into the book as the fourth official announces four minutes of added time.
Baines whips another free kick in, but Vorm is again on hand to claim it. He has been unerring in those situations today.
Swansea look like they're going to hold on here! The Everton fans sound their frustration as another attack comes to nothing - they really should have won this one! Still time, though...
It's actually the visitors who are ending the match on a high here!
FULL TIME: Everton 0-0 Swansea
There you have it! An entertaining 0-0 draw at Goodison Park sees Everton frustrated by a stubborn defensive Swansea performance.
In many ways, that was the perfect away display from Swansea. They held out for the clean sheet despite being put under great pressure at times, and looked to break on the counter attack whenever possible. Laudrup will see that as a very good point for his side, and rightly so.
A point against Swansea is not a bad result, but Moyes won't be happy after that. His side really should have won that, and they had plenty of chances to do so. They just came up against a spirited defensive performance and, when they did get through, lacked that cutting edge in front of goal.
Ashley Williams and Chico Flores deserve special praise for their defensive performance today. They were bullied at times by Fellaini in the air, but any second ball, or clearance to be made inside their own box, was duly dealt with.
Right, that's it from me today! Thanks for joining Sports Mole for today's entertaining goalless draw and be sure to stick around for reaction, news and match analysis, the latter of which will be on site in the next half an hour. Goodbye!
Written by
Barney Corkhill
Barney Corkhill
