National media spot what Jordan Pickford did at full-time as they react to Everton draw at West Ham

Everton recovered from their late defeat at the Premier League’s bottom club Southampton a week before to earn a share of the spoils with West Ham United in a goalless draw at the London Stadium.

The result ensures the Blues go into the final international break of the calendar year with that aforementioned loss at St Mary’s being their only reversal in their last seven matches.

And here is a round-up of how the national media reported on the action.

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'It was subdued and cold and sad and weary'

The Guardian's Jonathan Wilson wrote: Was that enough? The reports had suggested that West Ham would review Julen Lopetegui’s future over the international break if West Ham lost.

They avoided that but, other than the fact they picked up another point, inching their way towards safety next May, was a featureless goalless draw really so much better?

This was, for long periods, a terrible game and, while West Ham will probably feel they had the better of the chances, certainly after half-time, when Jarrod Bowen curled a shot just wide, Crysencio Summerville hit the post and Danny Ings drew two fine saves out of Jordan Pickford but, still, nobody could call this a performance that made an undeniable case for Lopetegui to stay on.

A fanbase that had become largely frustrated by the football produced under David Moyes towards the end of his second tenure was not ploughing home through the shoppers in Westfield with joy in their hearts. The most memorable moment was probably a right-foot first-time 25-yard shot taken on by Vitalii Mykolenko that was so badly sliced it barely made the box.

The setting matched the dismal mood. It was a damply raw November afternoon, a fine mist illuminated by the floodlights as the cabin at the top of Anish Kapoor’s Orbital loomed in the greyness like a Soviet-era ski-lodge.

It was subdued and cold and sad and weary, the awareness of past glories and a knowledge of the distance these present iterations are from them weighing on everybody. Even the setting of Land of Hope and Glory favoured by the military band before kick-off was oddly discordant.

There were mishit passes, misplaced passes, misconceived passes and passes to nobody at all. When the press box monitors went off in the first half, it felt like an act of kindness.

'This was as uninspiring as it gets'

The Daily Mail's Kathryn Batte wrote: Julen Lopetegui will fly home to Spain to visit his 94-year-old father during the international break.

The West Ham head coach had said before kick-off that it would be a short trip before coming back to east London to prepare for his side’s game with Newcastle. As boos from the home supporters engulfed the London Stadium at the full-time whistle following a drab and demoralising 0-0 draw with Everton, it is not certain he will have a job to return to.

West Ham owner David Sullivan has a reputation for giving his managers time, but this was as uninspiring as it gets.

Everton had edged what was a terrible first half but faded badly in the second. Sean Dyche insisted it was a ‘good point’ but given his side has Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City all to face in December, it may feel like two points dropped. In truth, neither team deserved more than the solitary point they came away with, but Everton had Jordan Pickford to thank for a superb stoppage-time save.

MUCH IMPROVED: Chris Beesley's video verdict

'In the tussle for momentum, Everton emerged the stronger'

The Times' Tom Allnutt wrote: A goalless draw at home to Everton may not be the kind of result that usually prompts a change of manager but a grey and lifeless West Ham United performance will bring little comfort for Julen Lopetegui either.

When West Ham moved on from David Moyes in the summer, the idea was to usher in more excitement, verve and joy into the London Stadium, but this was such a dreary contest that even at 0-0, West Ham fans were heading for the Tube with ten minutes left. Many of those who stayed booed at the final whistle.

Crysencio Summerville hit the post late on and Danny Ings, on as a substitute, forced an excellent save from Jordan Pickford in stoppage time. But that was about all West Ham mustered while Everton will wonder if they should have pushed harder for victory.

In the tussle for momentum, Everton emerged the stronger as West Ham again retreated with 25 minutes left. Wan-Bissaka did very little to stop an Orel Mangala cross, with Lindstrom’s header pushed over the bar by Fabianski before Lucas Paqueta drew the ire of West Ham supporters when he nonchalantly flicked a ball out forward and out for a goal kick.

'Boos erupted around the stadium'

The Daily Telegraph's Ella Nunn wrote: Much has been said about West Ham’s lack of identity under Julen Lopetegui and that absence of direction was on clear display as his team stumbled to a lacklustre draw against Everton. It was deemed by many to be a “must-win” match for the struggling West Ham manager who, heading into the fixture, had won just three games and lost five in the Premier League.

Neither side really shifted into gear in the first half, with two of the best chances falling to West Ham just seconds before the break – despite Everton being on top for the majority of the first 45 minutes. To the relief of both sets of fans, the two sides shifted up a gear in the second half. But as the minutes ticked away, Everton opted to sit back as West Ham desperately searched for a breakthrough.

Pickford made a wonderful save, the home fans groaned as the final whistle blew, before boos erupted around the stadium. Meanwhile, the Everton goalkeeper was punching the air – perfectly encapsulating which side will walk away from this game feeling slightly more content with just the one point.

EVERTON THE BETTER SIDE: Joe Thomas' video verdict

'That gesture said all that needed to be said'

The ECHO’s Everton correspondent Joe Thomas wrote:

On the final whistle Lukasz Fabianski stalked across the pitch to find Jordan Pickford and, when he reached the Everton number one, he shook his hand. That gesture said all that needed to be said about the final act of a game short on drama, but which was almost decided at the death.

From the moment Danny Ings came on midway through the second half there felt an inevitability that he, once again, would have an impact against Everton. He almost did when he cut inside onto his left foot and forced Pickford to push away his first effort.

When, in the final seconds, Ings’ drive bounced off the turf it looked destined for the roof of the net. But then Pickford’s fingertips – as they have done so often – came to Everton’s rescue.

It was a save that earned a valuable point for Everton and was another for his fabulous archive. It sparked flashbacks of his reflex stops to Willian at Craven Cottage and Ollie McBurnie at Bramall Lane, the type of important interventions that are remembered by Blues and forgotten by the critics desperate to jump on him every time he makes a mistake or plays for England.