It is 18 games and counting since West Bromwich Albion last secured a Premier League victory and though there is still some way to go to trouble Derby County’s record winless run of 32 the alarm bells are ringing loud.
This may well turn out to be a point gained in the battle to avoid relegation but for Alan Pardew it felt like another opportunity missed to collect all three at once in a match his side dominated.
Only five teams have now endured longer sequences in the Premier League without winning and the concern for West Brom is that all of those sides ended the season relegated.
Albion’s Craig Dawson leaps highest to aim a header at goal during the Premier League match at The Hawthorns on Tuesday
The Baggies Matt Phillips and Everton’s Cuco Martina (right) challenge for possession during the goalless draw on Boxing Day
West Brom’s Craig Dawson (left) and Everton’s Yannick Bolasie battle during the match which ended 0-0 at the Hawthorns
Pardew will relish the challenge of proving the exception to the rule but if West Brom are unable to emerge victorious when controlling a game to this degree it is tricky to envisage circumstances when they do.
It was back in the August sun that West Brom last won and we are now into the depths of winter with Pardew yet to implement the improvement in style hoped for when replacing Tony Pulis.
This was an encouraging, front-foot performance but each of the three points collected in his short tenure have come via a scoreline of 0-0, with only two goals scored.
For Sam Allardyce, the brief was different. Get Everton up the table whatever the approach. He has done that and this draw means it is 12 points from his six Premier League games.
Cuco Martina of Everton and Grzegorz Krychowiak of West Bromwich Albion in action during the stalemate at the Hawthorns
Aaron Lennon of Everton and Gareth Barry of West Bromwich Albion in action during the Hawthorns clash on Tuesday
Allardyce is the first Everton manager to go unbeaten in his opening seven games in all competitions and he pointed out that including the West Ham match when he was in the stands, the side have conceded only two goals in their last eight.
In the eight before they let in 25. It has been a lesson in organisation.
‘A remarkable turnaround,’ said Allardyce. ‘It’s a great point for us given the pressure we came under. I thought our defensive qualities yet again were a major part of the afternoon. With our troubles with players missing it’s only to be expected we’re not delivering the performance in possession.’
Former Spurs wideman Lennon of Everton and Gareth Barry of West Bromwich Albion battle for the ball on Boxing Day
Pardew said: ‘Nine times out of 10 you win that game. We just couldn’t find that moment. It was about as disciplined a 90 minutes I’ve seen from this team since I’ve been here. But we’re hungry for the three points.’
West Brom should have led at the interval but spurned two superb chances. The first came in the sixth minute when Jay Rodriguez whipped over a cross that was begging to be tapped in by Salomon Rondon. But the striker got his feet in a tangle from three yards out and missed the ball entirely.
Craig Dawson was then guilty when arriving on to a flat cross by Matt Phillips. Dawson is usually reliable in the air but appeared to run under the ball and by consequence sent his header over the bar.
Referee Roger East gives Barry a yellow card during the hard-fought but goalless draw at the Hawthorns on Tuesday
Oumar Niasse of Everton closes down Jonny Evans during the 0-0 draw between the Baggies and visitors Everton
Four minutes after half-time a good pass from Chris Brunt pass enabled Rondon to roll Mason Holgate and advance into the area. The crowd noise rose expectantly as the £15million centre forward shaped to shoot but Rondon’s finish was more troubling to the stewards up the stand than Jordan Pickford in the same luminous orange kit.
Rondon went down holding his hamstring and left the field moments later but the cause might just as readily have been a bruised ego.
Everton’s limited offensive offering was hampered by the continued absence of Wayne Rooney through a virus and Yannick Bolasie appearing for the first time since suffering a serious knee injury more than 12 months ago.
It took until the 89th minute for the visitors to muster a shot on target as Ben Foster saved Oumar Niasse’s hard shot with his legs.
Niasse of Everton looks dejected after the match in which defences came out on top during a 0-0 draw at the Hawthorns