The point meant Villa could not leapfrog Manchester City to go level on points with leader Liverpool and while it did little for Everton, which is only one ahead of 18th-placed Luton Town – the Hatters also have a match in hand – it did at least end a run of three successive league defeats for the Toffees.

A large part of that was down to Pickford, who made good saves from Leon Bailey and Ollie Watkins, while Martinez made his presence felt by denying Dominic Calvert-Lewin clean through on goal and also James Garner in quick succession.

However, while the two goalkeepers were on the top of their game at Goodison Park, the men leading their respective attacks were less so.

Calvert-Lewin has not scored for 13 matches and after failing to convert Everton’s best chance he was replaced just past the hour mark having failed to end a run dating back to October.

Watkins’s battle with James Tarkowski was more compelling but ultimately as fruitless as Villa’s 15 shots failed to produce a goal.