Tottenham Hotspur were jeered by their own supporters at full-time as their scoring drought stretched into a fourth successive match, an unwanted first in the club's history that has intensified scrutiny on manager Roberto De Zerbi following a costly summer transfer window.
Despite dominating spells of possession at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Spurs once again found themselves unable to find a way past a well-organised Everton defence, with the visitors departing north London with a point that owed much to a disciplined backline marshalled superbly by Jarrad Branthwaite.
The centre-back produced a crucial early block and was widely regarded as the standout performer on the pitch, forming a solid partnership with James Tarkowski that gave Everton the platform to frustrate their hosts throughout. Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford also played his part, denying Lucas Bergvall late on with a smart save to preserve the clean sheet.
At the other end, Antonin Kinsky endured a mixed afternoon between the posts for Spurs. He was fortunate not to be punished after a loose pass straight to Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who failed to capitalise, but the young goalkeeper atoned with a strong stop from Thierno Barry's header from close range.
In defence, Micky van de Ven continued to impress alongside Jan Paul van Hecke, with the pairing's understanding growing by the game. Van Hecke almost opened the scoring himself, narrowly failing to keep a first-half half-volley on target. Archie Gray offered energy from full-back, while Andy Robertson was a constant outlet down the left, covering more distance than anyone else on the pitch, though his final ball into the box lacked precision.
Midfield saw Rodrigo Bentancur once again prove indispensable to De Zerbi's setup, dictating tempo and making a vital block to deny Tyrique George in the second half. Sandro Tonali showed flashes of quality with some incisive passing but faded after the interval, while Mateus Fernandes started promisingly before growing increasingly hesitant and was withdrawn for Mohammed Kudus after 63 minutes.
Up front, Spurs continued to struggle for cutting edge. Dominic Solanke, making his first Premier League start of the campaign, looked short of sharpness before being replaced just after the hour mark. Omar Marmoush worked hard without threatening Everton's goal, and Savio, despite showing energetic running on the right, was often guilty of taking too long in the final third.
De Zerbi's substitutions offered brief moments of hope. Bergvall came closest to snatching a winner for the hosts, forcing Pickford into a fine save with a stretching effort in stoppage time. James Maddison also made a mark defensively, producing a well-timed sliding challenge to tee up Bergvall's chance and later making a crucial block to deny an Everton opportunity, though he offered little going forward.
For Everton, David Moyes will take encouragement from a resolute defensive display, even if their own attacking threat was limited. Brennan Johnson struggled against his former club, missing a significant chance, while Tyrique George and Harrison Armstrong showed occasional glimpses of quality without consistently troubling Tottenham's rearguard.
With Spurs still searching for their first goal of the season after four matches, questions over De Zerbi's attacking approach are likely to intensify unless his side can quickly find a solution in front of goal.
Based on reporting from standard-football and BBC Sport.