Everton struggled to compete with Nottingham Forest as the high-flying side turned up at Goodison Park and enacted their game plan in comfort. It was a frustrating defeat and performance by Sean Dyche’s side and one that undermined the progress and belief built during an impressive run through the festive season.

This is how the match was viewed in the national media, where the consensus was that Forest deserved their 2-0 win, courtesy of goals from Chris Wood and Morgan Gibbs-White.

In The Guardian, Andy Hunter acknowledged the superiority of the Nuno's team and the struggles of an Everton side that “were ineffective and vulnerable throughout”.

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While there were some forays forward, he wrote: “In the main, however, Dyche’s team were short of ideas and sloppy in possession. They would have had more problems had James Tarkowski received a second yellow card in first‑half stoppage time for a foul on Wood. Everton’s captain in the absence of the injured Seamus Coleman escaped further punishment. His team did not. Dyche introduced Jesper Lindstrom for the struggling Jack Harrison at half-time but Forest remained sharper, solid and dangerous.”

In The Times, Paul Joyce labelled the result a “demoralising” one for the Blues after three hard-fought draws against Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City. For the promise offered by the completed takeover of the club, challenges still lie ahead. With Dyche out of contract in the summer, Joyce added: “Dyche has acknowledged he needs wins to convince the new owners he is the right man to lead the club forward next season but there have been just three all season. Afternoons like this feel particularly damaging.”

Joe Bernstein continued that theme as he wrote for Mail Online that Everton “couldn’t lay a glove on their well-drilled visitors”.

He, like many, pointed out that it was only in the final 10 minutes and with the game seemingly lost that the Blues mustered their first shot on target. He wrote: “(Dominic) Calvert-Lewin helped Everton improve when he came on for the final quarter but by then it was too late. (Jordan) Pickford was relieved Ola Aina flashed a shot into the side-netting otherwise the scoreline would have looked even more one-sided.”

For the BBC, Shamoon Hafez described the Blues' display as “toothless”. Noting Everton’s proximity to the bottom three after the result, he added: “Such was the visitors' defensive robustness, Everton barely threatened and managed only two shots on target in the contest - Dominic Calvert-Lewin's tame header looping straight at Matz Sels in the 81st minute and fellow substitute Beto's effort being kept out by the Belgium goalkeeper late on.

“Sean Dyche saw his side's four-game unbeaten run come to an end and they have won only three games all term, dropping down to 16th and only three points above the relegation zone.”

Meanwhile, in the ECHO, the focus was on the justified frustration at the Blues being unable to compete with a side that is in impressive form after making progress from the survival fight both were involved in late last season: “Supporters know (the challenges faced by Dyche and the club). But they are not wrong to want more than a side that, at its best, can stubbornly fight for draws against those with Champions League ambitions but then struggles to muster a threat when they face a lesser light.

“As tough as it might be, this fanbase is justified in its hope the final campaign at the Grand Old Lady would not be one of forlorn journeys home after listening to away end after away end enjoy their final trip to Goodison… For all the positivity inspired by the draws against Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City, Everton have won just three times in 18 games this season and with Crystal Palace and Wolverhampton Wanderers now improving, they lie just three points ahead of third bottom Leicester City. Until draws turn into wins the fear that Ruud van Nistelrooy’s side are just an unexpected win from catching them will linger and fester.”