In Duncan Ferguson and Freddie Ljungberg’s final games as interim-managers, it finished 0-0 between Everton and Arsenal with hardly any chances, while new managers Carlo Ancelotti and Mikel Arteta both watched on from the stands.
Everton made four changes from the draw last weekend at Old Trafford with Bernard, Michael Keane, Leighton Baines and Seamus Coleman all dropping to the bench with Fabian Delph, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Lucas Digne and Djibril Sidibe all coming back into the starting XI.
Everton, who have been troubled by injuries in the last few weeks. had to make a change just 10 minutes into the game with Cenk Tosun replacing Alex Iwobi, who looked to be suffering from a hamstring injury.
The first chance of the game came from a Gylfi Sigurdsson free-kick. Richarlison, who was forced out to the left after Iwobi’s injury, forced his way past David Luiz 25 yards from goal. Sigurdsson who was notorious for his set-pieces at Swansea, tried his luck but it went wide of the post.
The next half-chance of the game came just before half time. Tom Davies who was playing wide on the right burst past Bukayo Saka in the area and drilled the ball across to Tosun, but unfortunately for the Everton striker, he couldn’t react as it hit the Turkey international and went out for a goal kick.
From the resulting goal kick, Arsenal had a chance to take the lead. Gabriel Martinelli broke down the Arsenal left, and as the youngster entered the Everton area, he aimed towards Jordan Pickford’s near post but got it all wrong as it went out for a goal kick.
The second half was just as bad as the first, not a lot of chances with only two notable ones to talk about.
Arsenal started the better of the two sides in the second half and forced Jordan Pickford into a save. Calum Chambers escaped his man from a corner and flicked it on towards the back post to an unmarked Aubameyang, who tried his luck from close range, but Pickford was equal to the shot as it lacked any real conviction.
The game was littered was misplaced passes, and no real urgency from either team to try and win the game, something you would not expect after watching Everton under Duncan Ferguson, and it took until the 67th minute for the hosts to really create anything.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Tom Davies played some brilliant football between themselves, going from one side of the pitch to the other, where Calvert-Lewin then played in Richarlison who darted past a few Arsenal defenders and picked out an unmarked Calvert-Lewin on the edge of the box. The striker blasted the ball towards goal but a combination of Chambers and Lucas Torreira blocked the shot for a corner kick.
The game did eventually fizzle out for a 0-0 draw which summed up everything, with the only talking point in the final 20 minutes being Duncan Ferguson, who once again subbed off a substitute, with Cenk Tosun being replaced by Moise Kean. Tosun however was given a longer run compared to Moise Kean’s brief cameo last weekend, and similarly to last weekend where Kean was not happy, Tosun walked straight past Ferguson and down the tunnel.
Duncan Ferguson can be proud of what he has achieved in his short time as interim manager, a win against Chelsea and draws against Manchester United, Arsenal and Leicester (albeit a loss on penalties). The former Everton number 9 has reminded the players what it means to play for Everton and has most definitely enhanced his chances of becoming the Everton manager in the future.
