Swansea 0-0 Everton: Kevin Mirallas sent off for visitors in final seconds of stalemate at Liberty Stadium

Home Top

West Ham complete stunning hat-trick of away wins as Moses and Sakho strike in first half to down Man City despite De Bruyne goal
South Africa fall to humiliating defeat as 40-1 underdogs Japan score try in dying seconds to clinch famous win
Terry has to accept he is near end of his career and will be left out, insists Ferdinand after Mourinho drops his captain for first time in top flight
Pellegrini refuses to use Silva's injury as an excuse for West Ham defeat as City lose unbeaten record
Wenger should stop crying after every Chelsea defeat, taunts Mourinho
Murray brothers put Great Britain on brink of historic Davis Cup final after epic doubles victory against Australia
GRAHAM POLL: Costa must be banned by the FA for Koscielny slap
Costa's dark arts see Gabriel sent off while he somehow escapes red card... leaving Zouma and Hazard to seal Chelsea win
Costa should have been sent off TWICE, insists Wenger as Ferdinand labels him a 'petulant baby'
OLIVER HOLT: Just as Keane was Fergie's reflection on the pitch, Costa is Mourinho's fighting spirit
Arsenal went back to the bad old days... lack of discipline and control cost them, not Costa's antics
PLAYER RATINGS: Fabregas shines against old pals but his successor Cazorla has a day to forget
McClaren under big pressure after Ighalo punishes woeful show from Newcastle
Stoke 2-2 Leicester: Foxes launch ANOTHER fight back from two down as Mahrez and Vardy extend unbeaten run
Swansea 0-0 Everton: Mirallas sent off in final seconds of stalemate
Bournemouth 2-0 Sunderland: Wilson strikes again as Kaboul sees red for miserable visitors
Hull 1-1 QPR: Points shared at KC Stadium as Austin and Dawson net
Berahino settles derby with first goal since transfer bid as West Brom edge out Villa
Ireland 50-7 Canada: Sexton stars as Schmidt's men begin World Cup campaign with win in Wales
Henderson KO: Big Liverpool blow as captain is ruled out for two months after breaking his foot in freak incident
Nottingham Forest 1-2 Middlesbrough: Ayala sends visitors second
Sheffield Wednesday 3-2 Fulham: Forestieri and Turner grab first goals
Benzema fires winner but Ronaldo misses out on chance to become top goalscorer
Martial collared by traffic warden while heading for dinner in Manchester... but for a selfie, not a ticket!

Everton and Swansea went into the game seventh and eighth respectively in the Premier League table
A win for either side would have seen them, perhaps temporarily, move up to third in the table after six games
Everton enjoyed the better of the chances but were unable to break down the Swansea defence
Romelu Lukaku had the best chance to win the game for the away side, but he blazed over the crossbar
Kevin Mirallas was sent off in the final seconds of the match for a studs-up challenge on Modou Barrow

Published: 10:55 EST, 19 September 2015 | Updated: 12:58 EST, 19 September 2015

View
comments

No goals and not much style either. Garry Monk and Roberto Martinez might be prone to minor squabbles over who plays the prettiest football but neither man could win the game nor the argument here.

This was a decent scrap and, predictably, it had more craft and chances than most goalless draws – 857 passes and 29 shots, to be precise.

But it is also true that this was a match determined by defensive structures. Hardly typical of the two team-mates-turned-managerial rivals; hardly ideal for a spectacle. But in the cold world of points and prizes it doesn't always pay to go for the knockout. Or, to quote Martinez's criticism after these sides drew by the same scoreline at Goodison Park last November: 'It was like going into the cinema expecting to see an outstanding film and you don't get it.'

Kevin Mirallas walks from the Liberty Stadium pitch after receiving his marching orders in the dying seconds of the match in South Wales

Everton midfielder Mirallas trudges from the pitch after being sent off for a poor challenge on Modou Barrow in injury time

Federico Fernandez (right) cannot get in the way of a shot by Ross Barkley... to the relief of the home fans, the ball stayed out of the net

Andre Ayew (centre) and Phil Jagielka (right) react after a nasty clash of heads in the opening exchanges of the match in South Wales

Swansea medics attend to a cut on Ayew's face sustained after a clash of heads with Jagielka in the fifth minute of the game

TEAMS, PLAYER RATINGS, PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE AND MATCH ZONE STATS FROM THE LIBERTY STADIUM

Swansea (4-2-3-1): Fabianski 6; Naughton 7, Fernandez 6, Williams 7, Taylor 6.5; Cork 7, Shelvey 6.5; Ayew 5.5 (Barrow 87), Sigurdsson 5.5 (Ki 60, 6), Montero 6.5; Gomis 6 (Eder 81)

Subs not used: Nordfeldt, Rangel, Bartley, Routledge.

Booked: Cork, Ayew

Manager: Garry Monk

Everton: Howard 6; Browning 6, Stones 7, Jagielka 6.5, Galloway 6.5; Barry 6.5, McCarthy 7; Kone 6 (Deulofeu 65, 6), Barkley 7.5 (Mirallas 90), Naismith 6; Lukaku 6.

Subs not used: Robles, Gibson, Lennon, Osman, Funes Mori.

Booked: Barry, Browning

Sent off: Mirallas

Manager: Roberto Martinez

Referee: Stuart Atwell 5.5

Attendance: 20,805

Romelu Lukaku worked hard in the Swansea half but was unable to break them down. Click HERE to see more from Sportsmail's Match Zone service.

That comment, and the suggestion that Swansea came to stifle, irritated Monk, who in turn this week has pointed out that Martinez has become a little less idealistic and a touch more pragmatic with age. There was no malice in the observation and nor should there be – the truth is that Martinez, on the evidence of this season, is clearly becoming a more versatile manager.

While the old criticism used to be of a man who could attack for fun but struggled to organise, he has now collected three clean sheets away from home in this campaign. This time he used an all-English back four, to boot. But he will also have to contend with the irritation that his side shaded the possession and chances here and also lost Kevin Mirallas to a moment of stupidity in stoppage time. He had been on the pitch for two minutes when he brought his studs down on Modou Barrow's shin and was red carded.

Martinez said: 'I always tell my subs to give real intensity so I was pleased with his manner. I thought it was more a striker trying to put in a challenge and it looked worse than it was. He clearly didn't have intention to hurt the Swansea player.'

On the result, Martinez added: 'We have to be disappointed that we did not get the three points but the performance overall is very satisfying.

Jonjo Shelvey (right) fires a cross-field ball during the Premier League match between Swansea City and Everton at the Liberty Stadium

Everton centre back John Stones (right) and Bafetimbi Gomis both desperately try to win the ball during the first half in South Wales

Brendan Galloway (right), who impressed in the Everton back-line, reaches the ball ahead of Swansea's Barrow near the touchline

Everton midfielder Gareth Barry (left) stretches his left arm out to fend off the challenge of Swansea defender Neil Taylor in the first half

Swansea defender Kyle Naughton (centre, top) is flung into the air after a challenge by young Everton starlet Galloway

'To keep a clean sheet with that youth (in Everton's defence) I was extremely proud as a football club. It was a reflection of our club. Experienced players like Tim Howard and Phil Jagielka and we forget how young John Stones (21) is. We have that core helping the youngsters, like Tyias Browning (21) and Brendan Galloway (19).'

For Monk, it was a solid point and a marked improvement on last week's defeat at Watford. He was furious at his side's lack of 'focus' there; in this fixture, concentration and discipline were the most impressive facet of their performance, which lacked some sparkle in the attacking areas.

Monk said: 'It was a good point – I thought it was a good advert for the Premier League with both teams trying to go for it and score goals. 'Getting a clean sheet is pleasing because Everton have got some great players. It showed we are at least on an even keel with them. 'I am much happier this week than I was last week against Watford. It was night and day compared to last week.'

That is beyond doubt. For a start, Swansea managed some level of creativity whereas their last outing was a subdued mess of slow passes and slower thoughts.

Barrow winces in obvious pain, clutching his left leg after a bad tackle during the Premier League stalemate at the Liberty Stadium

Jagielka (centre) does not risk being challenged by Shelvey (right), acrobatically clearing the ball away with an overhead kick

Barkley (left) fends off the challenge of Swansea midfielder Jack Cork as he tries to create a chance for the away side

Steven Naismith (left) claims for a foul as he goes to ground under the challenge of Ayew, whose nose is bloodied after an earlier clash

In the first instance here, a Kyle Naughton cross was acrobatically met by Bafetimbi Gomis. He controlled the volley well enough but Tim Howard was comfortable in saving. Gomis should have done far better with an opening after 18 minutes when Gareth Barry headed into his path and Galloway failed to cover. Gomis was through but shot across goal and wide.

Sigurdsson also hit the side netting with a free-kick that was close but not close enough, much like the man himself, who has not yet found his range this season. At his best, he is a lock-picker with the vision and feet to pass through tight spaces. Currently, he is not at that level, even if he does retain a regular starting space in a squad of talented midfielders.

At the other end, Lukaku had a free-kick blocked by Ashley Williams and twice went through only to shoot over the bar. In all, Everton had the best chances.

But, as it proved, this was not a day for forwards. Or arguments on style.