Everton ended a three-game losing run with a stalemate against Tottenham.
But Rafael Benitez’s side felt they should have taken away more than a point due to a controversial penalty decision involving Richarlison and Hugo Lloris.
Referee Chris Kavanagh pointed to the spot after the Brazilian was brought down by Lloris before a VAR review saw the original decision overturned.
The technology would return to haunt the Blues in the final minutes of the game as Mason Holgate was sent off for a lunge on Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.
Here were the key talking points from Goodison Park:
Improved Blues still lack cutting edge
Everton’s propensity to raise their levels for daunting games continues apace.
Facing a far tougher opponent than the trio they faltered so embarrassingly against over the previous three weeks seemed to stir their collective soul.
This was unquestionably a vast improvement on their appalling hat-trick of Premier League losses at the hands of West Ham, Watford and Wolves.
Yet it proved to be more a battling display than brilliant one from the hosts’ perspective despite needing to withstand regular onslaughts by Tottenham.
That the visitors failed to muster a solitary shot on target while the Blues produced just two highlights the paucity in quality between the teams.
What chances did emerge for Rafael Benitez’s side were largely spurned; from Ben Godfrey’s tame long-range attempt to Demarai Gray sending a shot wide.
The Everton manager will still argue his players resembled their impressive early-season selves but a lack of cutting edge in front of goal begs to differ.
Holgate kills off his final hope
Mason Holgate has never really found a rightful place as an Everton player.
His natural role of centre-back is a crowded field with Yerry Mina and Michael Keane occupying starting berths and Godfrey now overtaking him as back-up.
Any mileage still left in operating as an auxiliary full-back has, again, been superseded by the remarkable rise of Godfrey since his arrival 12 months ago.
Everton’s threadbare midfield options offered Holgate hopes that a viable alternative lay in a position where his professional career had begun.
Replacing a flu-stricken Allan in the 82nd minute, however, the 25-year-old killed off any attempt to resurrect his first-team prospects in that position.
In just eight minutes, he failed to complete five attempted passes, lost all three duels and was sent off for a reckless lunge on Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.
Now six seasons into his Goodison career, Holgate may just have thrown away his only opportunity to solidify a semi-regular place in Benitez’s plans.
Kavanagh reignites Goodison ire
To say Chris Kavanagh has enjoyed a complicated relationship with Everton and its supporters during the past 18 months would be an understatement.
His overturning of a late winner in March 2020’s draw with Manchester United drew Goodison’s ire and saw Carlo Ancelotti sent off after the final whistle.
Awarding a penalty in February’s long-awaited Merseyside derby victory at Anfield appeared to have wiped the Manchester-based official’s slate clean.
But Kavanagh’s first outing at the Grand Old Lady in front of fans since that infamous pre-lockdown afternoon placed him back on an uneven footing.
Despite unflinchingly pointing to the spot for Hugo Lloris’ clumsy challenge on Richarlison, the 36-year-old rolled back on it following a VAR consultation.
As with the United goal, the technology allowed him to conclude that Lloris managed to touch the ball ever so slightly before clawing at Richarlison’s legs.
Holgate’s VAR upgrade to a red card late on, similarly, did Kavanagh little favours with the Gwladys Street after initially deciding to only issue a caution.