Everton had Jordan Pickford to thank for the point they ground out at the London Stadium as the England star pulled off important saves at the end of either half in this afternoon’s lacklustre goalless draw with West Ham.

Having denied Jarrod Bowen and Michail Antonio shortly before half-time and Guido Rodriguez just before the hour mark, Pickford made a stunning one-handed save to turn Danny Ings’s shot over in second-half stoppage time while Crysencio Summerville saw an earlier strike come back off the post.

This was a frustrating game that will ultimately be seen as an opportunity missed by two poor sides bereft of confidence and lacking quality in forward areas.

Everton were the better side on balance, but West Ham had the the more clear-cut opportunities, with Sean Dyche’s men struggling to turn their superiority into goal-scoring chances

The manager had brought Jarrad Brathwaite back into the starting XI and was able to welcome Abdoulaye Doucouré back from injury, although he was deprived of the services of Dwight McNeil, who continues to be hampered by a knee complaint.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin kept his place up front, despite Beto’s recent good form, but, once again, the former England international toiled fruitlessly as the lone striker and had just one effort on target during his 75 minutes on the field, a routine header that was claimed by Lukas Fabianski.

The Hammers came into this fixture with plenty of doubt and speculation over Julen Lopetegui’s future, and there was a tangible apprehension and disenchantment from the home fans at their team’s display for much of the contest.

Contrary to their recent pattern of ceding, territory and possession to the opposition, the Blues on this occasion were content to try and keep the ball and break the hosts down, but all too often the the final ball was desperately lacking.

Jesper Lindstrøm was willing but ultimately ineffective, Iliman Ndiaye was all too often isolated and peripheral on the left flank, but the industry of Doucouré, Idrissa Gueye and Orel Mangala in the middle ensured that Everton were mostly on the front foot.

However, it was Doucouré who was guilty of squandering one of Everton’s best openings on the day early on when he was put into the clear by Gueye but, rather than striking first time, he delayed his shot and was charged down by the covering tackle from Summerville.

Ndiaye was able to wriggle free, cut in and despatch a tame low shot that Fabianski gathered easily in the 12th minute and the Senegal international wasn’t able to steer a header on target midway through the first half but after being subdued for most of the first period, West Ham were almost allowed to steal an unlikely lead by errors at the back by Everton.

Branthwaite got a crucial tackle in on Bowen but James Tarkowski wasn’t able to complete the job and it took a superb stop by Pickford to keep the winger’s powerful effort out.

Then, in time added on at the end of the first half, Tarkowski’s poor giveaway let Antonio in but Pickford was there again to force the attacker wide and block his shot behind for a corner.

Early in the second half, it was an uncharacteristic error from Branthwaite that was pounced on by Bowen but his shot was deflected wide while, at the other end, Lindstrøm could only guide Calvert-Lewin’s cross off target with his shoulder.

The Dane had the Toffees’ best chance of the game with an hour gone, though, when he was well-placed to meet Mangala’s chipped cross from the byline but Fabianski palmed his header over the bar.

Mangala himself wasted an opening by slicing horribly wide but in the closing stages it was Lopetegui’s side who almost pinched the points.

Summerville was sent clear by Lucas Paquetà’s slide-rule pass but through he placed his effort wide of Pickford’s glove, the ball hit the base of the post and was swept clear by Branthwaite.

Then, after Pickford had pushed Ings’s low shot aside for Young to belt away for a throw-in, the former Liverpool and Aston Villa marksman looked to have won it in injury time but despite a heavy deflection off Tarkowski, Pickford was able to fly to his right and divert the goal-bound shot over.

In the final reckoning, neither side deserved to win this contest between two out-of-form teams. Lopetegui will have done little to convince Hammers fans that he is the long-term solution for them and Dyche will, no doubt, be content with a draw on the road, but with difficult games coming up in December, it’s hard not lament two more points that slipped away.