Everton missed the opportunity to record a third straight home win as they were held by Huddersfield Town.

In a disappointing first half, the Blues found themselves behind when Phillip Billing headed home for the visitors from close range following a corner.

Marco Silva’s side did not have to wait long for an equaliser as Dominic Calvert-Lewin met Lucas Digne’s cross just 87 seconds later.

An error-strewn second 45 minutes saw Gylfi Sigurdsson coming closest to findng a winner as he was mere inches from converting Ademola Lookman’s effort.

Here were the key talking points from Goodison Park:

Zonal marking experiment is failing

 

Marco Silva is a manager who stands by his philosophies, regardless of the outcome.

However he will be questioning the decision to stick with zonal marking.

Of all the new ideas he is implementing at Everton this season, this is one that is not paying off.

Four games into the new season, it has already cost them a goal in all bar one. For a second week running, it has cost them all three points.

For Phillip Billing standing free in the box to head past Jordan Pickford, see Nathan Ake and Danny Ings in the Blues’ two previous league matches.

Clearly opposition teams have identified a weakness in Silva’s strategy. He would be wise to opt for a change before it becomes an even bigger issue.

Lack of goals belie Tosun qualities

 

It is always a worry for a team when their main striker isn’t scoring goals.

Everton won’t be too concerned about Cenk Tosun’s current dry spell, though.

He may not be putting the ball in the net but Tosun is doing plenty to impress with constant running and pressing that allows his side to play to Silva’s instruction.

In fact, heading into this game, no other Premier League forward had won possession in the opposition half more than the Turkey international.

Similarly, his willingness to drop short and link up with Gylfi Sigurdsson is not only getting the best out of the midfielder but the wide men either side of him.

Of course he will need to start scoring at some point. But as far as Silva will be concerned, Tosun is doing just fine at this moment in time.

Sigurdsson is finally flourishing

 

On the subject of Sigurdsson, nobody appears to be flourishing under Silva’s new style more than the Icelandic midfielder.

At times last season he appeared stifled by a lack of pace and persistence with starting Wayne Rooney limiting his ability to do what he does best.

He is already looking more like the £50 million man that Everton thought they were getting from Swansea City. Under Silva, Sigurdsson is becoming pivotal.

As has been the case in three prior games, he was a menace again against the Terriers. Everything good that Everton do seems to stem from Sigurdsson.

Timing right for international break

 

Premier League teams tend not to relish the arrival of the international break but Everton will be welcoming it with open arms.

It has, quite literally, arrived at an opportune time with seven first-team players on the treatment table and Theo Walcott joining the list.

Everton’s squad is more than a little thin and the international break will afford them the opportunity to get the majority of those players back up to fitness.

That will be a blessing, without them the hosts were lacking in this game.

Crucially too, it will afford Silva and his team the opportunity to work on integrating the signings that arrived late in the window into the team.

What may be the bane for the majority of the English top flight is very much needed as far as Everton are concerned.