For the second season in succession, Fulham and Everton played a goalless draw at Craven Cottage. But while last term’s affair highlighted Frank Lampard’s limitations, Sean Dyche would have been delighted with a clean sheet and a point at the beginning of a big week for the Toffees. Everton were determined, well organised and grew in confidence as the contest went on – even if they slipped into the bottom three after Luton put four past Brighton and Hove Albion in the night’s most eye-catching result. Marco Silva hardly needed reminding his side needs more of a killer instinct in the final third – and the silver lining in Fulham’s failure to convert a host of clear-cut chances is that the result might prompt the club’s hierarchy to bring in a new forward in the closing hours of the transfer window.

Raul Jimenez was substituted at half time complaining of a hamstring problem, but the Mexican squandered the game’s best chance drilling wide of the past when it seemed simpler to score after Timothy Castagne’s drive had deflected into his path inside the six-yard box. Rodrigo Muniz missed a pair of very presentable chances in the second half before Castagne headed against the crossbar. Tosin Adarabioyo was denied by a splendid reflex save from the outstanding Jordan Pickford, but Dyche’s charges could have won it in stoppage when both Ben Godfrey and Beto failed to convert after a ridiculous goalmouth scramble.

Silva reverted to the same side that had pushed Liverpool all the way last week – although Harry Wilson’s shoulder injury against Newcastle meant that Kristian Sekularac was promoted from the under 21s as one of the substitutes. Jimenez hammered over the bar in the very first minute after Willian looked as though he had been taken out, but Everton threatened on the break from the outset with Jack Harrison shooting wastefully wide and Dominic Calvert-Lewin only thwarted by a brilliant block from Issa Diop.

Andreas Pereira was a whisker away from finding the top corner when picked out by Tom Cairney from a short corner before Pickford made a magnificent save to keep out a long-range drive from Antonee Robinson. Everton then went close as a free kick caused carnage in the Fulham area. Bernd Leno pushed out Ashley Young’s delivery and James Tarkowski’s mishit finish deflected off Diop and spun back off the crossbar before Castagne somehow cleared. The visiting fans screamed for a goal but the technology proved that the whole bar was not over the line.

Bobby De Cordova-Reid saw a shot from the left angle of the area blocked at source as the Whites continued to make the running, but Everton immediately broke down the other end of the field and Arant Danjuma placed his shot well wide. Pereira’s audacious even from the outside the area dipped too late to avoid clear the crossbar by inches, but Jimenez’s decision to go for power rather than placement was the most egregious miss of them all.

Fulham chances were few and far between immediately after the interval as Everton stepped things up. Calvert-Lewin headed against the crossbar before looping another header onto the roof of the net before Godfrey effortlessly whipped the ball of Willian’s toes when the Brazilian veteran looked the firm favourite to convert De Cordova-Reid’s cross. Muniz huffed and puffed but added little of quality, with one shot deflected wide – and Fulham failed to find a late winner with Pereira seeing a shot deflected into the side netting and Pickford producing more heroics to thwart Adarabioyo.

There was yet more drama deep into stoppage time when Beto, who somehow headed over the bar when it seemed simpler to score from a set play, was denied by Ream and the Portuguese had little time to react when Godfrey slammed the follow up straight into him, allowing Leno to emerge with the ball. It was one of the more watchable goalless draws of the season, but that will have serve as scant consolation to the home side.

FULHAM (4-2-3-1): Leno; Castagne, A. Robinson, Adarabioyo, Diop (Ream 75); Palhinha, Cairney; De Cordova-Reid, Willian, Pereira; Jimenez (Muniz 45) Subs (not used): Rodak, Tete, Reed, Lukic, Francois, Sekularac, Vinicius.

BOOKED: Palhinha.

EVERTON (4-4-1-1): Pickford; Godfrey, Mykolenko, Branthwaite, Tarkowski; Young (Patterson 81), Danjuma (Dobbin 90), Garner, McNeil; Harrison; Calvert-Lewin. Subs (not used): Viriginia, Keane, Lonergan, Hunt, Chermiti, Metcalfe.

BOOKED: Godrey, Branthwaite.

REFEREE: Thomas Brammall

ATTENDANCE: 24,376