What West Ham star did at full time tells real Everton story as hero halts the inevitable

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.

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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.

Before Fabianski reached him, he had taken his gloves off and turned to the Everton supporters behind the goal and whirred a pointed finger in celebration. As he turned around, it was Jarrad Branthwaite who was the first player to reach him, smiling as they slapped hands.

Both players have a case for being the big story of the day, Branthwaite having returned to the starting line-up after a contentious absence enforced by injury but prolonged by the form of those in front of him. It was Michael Keane who made way and he can have cause for frustration given his performances have been better than those of teammate James Tarkowski across recent weeks.

But having survived what Dyche later said was a tough call, Tarkowski was superb at the London Stadium, producing a solid display when his manager and team needed it. His performance deserved recognition because while Branthwaite, understandably, lacked a little sharpness, Tarkowski was on hand to help him through what was only his second start of the season.

The centre back made five clearances, won seven duels and made six recoveries. He got away with a poor pass at the end of the first half, this time Branthwaite doing just about enough to force Jarrod Bowen into an overhit pass to Michail Antonio after running on to Tarkowski's loose ball.

Otherwise he was assured at the back and, with Idrissa Gueye and Orel Mangala ahead of him, led a well-organised display in which Everton largely kept West Ham at arm’s length and, for the most part, were the better side.

There were still chances for the hosts - Bowen forcing Pickford into a near-post save amid a flurry of chances just before the break and Crysencio Summerville shooting past Pickford but into the post in the second half.

Yet the reaction of the crowd moments before Ings was introduced was telling. A period of Everton pressure led to Vitalii Mykolenko swinging a boot at a wild half volley that drifted high into the London gloomy sky. When it dropped, Everton were still first to the ball and a wave of groans from the home end followed. Soon after Julen Lopetegui made a triple substitution that appeared to be recognition that his side was struggling for a foothold in the game. On the final whistle the groans turned into boos.

While steady at the back, this was another match in which Everton struggled going forward. Abdoulaye Doucoure twice had the ball break to him in and around the West Ham box in the opening 10 minutes but on both occasions home players were too quick, first Aaron Wan-Bissaka and then Summerville getting back to block the midfielder’s efforts. Dominic Calvert-Lewin held the ball up well but had little to feed off, though this was another game in which Iliman Ndiaye showcased the magic in his feet, repeatedly bursting through players to relieve pressure, if not create chances.

Fabianski had been quick to congratulate Pickford but he too deserved praise. His fingertip save from a Jesper Lindstrom header denied Everton a lead they would have fancied their chances at hanging onto.

That finishing touch remains elusive for Everton and this international break will require more work on that front, albeit is too soon for Armando Broja to be ready to be involved in any form of bounce game. Those struggles are longstanding though and after a chastening defeat at Southampton, Everton at least now have a performance and a result to build on heading into an important run of fixtures.