MATCH FACTS THAT’S YER LOTT FOR NOW, DUNC ...but didn’t he love it! (Though new boss Carlo wasn’t too impressed with dour draw)
LIKE two rubber-neckers, Carlo Ancelotti and Mikel Arteta watched from the stands as a car crash of a game unfolded beneath them.
Today begins the job of sifting through the wreckage of two clubs whose Premier League wheels have come off in their respective search for some success.
All you can do is wish them luck because far too many players failed the Goodison Park audition.
That it was played out in front of the live TV cameras illustrated to the nation the job the chosen ones face.
You wondered whether Ancelotti sitting in between Everton owner Farhad Moshiri and chairman Bill Kenwright was handcuffed to the pair to make certain he didn’t escape.
The bonhomie which had spread across the Italian’s face as he posed for selfies before kick-off was replaced by a frown – but an annual salary of £11.5million should help to soothe any headache.
Arteta struggles to raise a smile at the best of times and he knows life at the Emirates is going to be a lot tougher than it was under Pep Guardiola at the Etihad.
So it was farewell to caretakers Duncan Ferguson and Freddie Ljungberg.
Everton’s Big Dunc made it three unbeaten league games – and brought a collective smile back to Goodison.
He said: “I can’t fault the effort of the players, they were unbelievable again. They have been incredible for this football club and have really restored passion and pride.
“Now we have a worldclass manager coming in and I can’t wait to start working with him on Monday.
“I’ve had a word with him and he seems happy with me – I’m still in a job!”
For extending his unbeaten league run, Ferguson can thank the Gunners’ latest skipper Pierre-emerick Aubameyang, who squandered a couple of inviting chances, and Gabriel Martinelli’s miss.
At least Ljungberg managed to help wipe out the memory of last Sunday’s meek surrender against Manchester City by giving youngsters Reiss Nelson and Emile Smith-rowe a go.
He said: “Against City, we didn’t have enough energy and we didn’t respect the game enough. That’s why I picked the team that I did today. I have rewarded these boys who have worked hard in training.
“I told them it was their time to show me what they can do – and they did. We really put in an effort there and I’m proud of them.
“The club have said they want me to stay, so I will have a chat with Mikel.”
Everton didn’t force Arsenal keeper Bernd Leno into a single save, although Fabian Delph’s return after injury brought some authority and aggression into midfield.
The first chance of an errorstrewn game didn’t arrive until just before the break.
Lucas Torreira survived a late challenge from Tom Davies, which earned the Everton midfielder a yellow card, to set Martinelli free.
He accelerated into the box, but, with just Jordan Pickford to beat, sliced wide.
Aubameyang’s golden opportunity arrived in the 51st minute when Calum Chambers flicked on from a corner for the Gunners striker who was unmarked at the far post, only for Pickford to palm his effort to safety.
Within 60 seconds, Aubameyang was back in the danger area, but this time prodded tamely at Pickford.
There was little danger of
■ Everton have kept consecutive league clean sheets against Arsenal for the first time since August 1978. any ballboys being swept off their feet by a celebrating Ferguson as Everton again showed their fighting spirit, but had little cohesion.
Over to you now, Messrs Ancelotti and Arteta.
■ This was Arsenal’s first goalless draw in 77 Prem games, since drawing 0-0 at West Ham in December 2017.