Report and reaction: Everton 0 Brentford 0

Brentford Holds Everton To 0-0 Despite Red Card

Thomas Frank decided to keep the same lineup that secured a 3-2 victory against Bournemouth at Gtech Community Stadium before the international break. Igor Thiago was included as a substitute for the Bees, marking his first appearance in a Premier League squad for the team.

Iliman Ndiaye created the first opportunity of the match when he expertly maneuvered into the penalty box, but his attempt was deflected and went over the crossbar.

The corner ended up with Idrissa Gueye just outside the box. Although his shot missed the goal, Dominic Calvert-Lewin managed to aim it towards the net. However, Flekken made an amazing save, diving to his left to keep the game tied in the first five minutes.

A header from Calvert-Lewin and another shot from Gueye came quickly afterward, leaving the Bees in a tough spot during the early moments of the match.

Brentford had their first opportunity to score with a long throw from Mathias Jensen. Everton failed to handle it properly, and the ball ended up with Keane Lewis-Potter. However, he sent his shot wildly across the front of the goal, and it went out of bounds.

At the 25-minute mark, Flekken made another impressive save. He stopped Calvert-Lewin once more after the striker received a pass from Dwight McNeil and took a shot from a challenging angle aimed at the near post. The Bees' goalkeeper managed to block it with his left foot.

Not long after, McNeil attempted a shot himself when he found some space near the edge of the box. His low strike seemed on track for the bottom corner, but a slight deflection off a Bees defender sent it just past the post.

Yoane Wissa had his first opportunity to score ten minutes before the end of the first half. Mikkel Damsgaard spotted some space just inside the Everton half and delivered an excellent pass to Wissa, who was positioned centrally. In a one-on-one situation with Jordan Pickford, Wissa tried to place the ball in the bottom corner, but the England goalkeeper managed to deflect it around the post with his foot.

As the first half was coming to a close, a cross was sent into the penalty area and flicked on by Pinnock, sending the ball into a precarious spot. Both Nørgaard and Wissa positioned themselves to go for it, but neither was able to get a touch on the ball.

Nonetheless, VAR concluded that Nørgaard's effort to gain possession of the ball was risky, as his foot was raised too high and made contact with Pickford. After referee Chris Kavanagh reviewed the situation on the monitor, he issued a red card to the Bees captain.

As anticipated, with an extra player on the field, Everton dominated possession and controlled significant portions of the field during most of the second half.

Gueye took a shot at breaking the stalemate when he aimed a long-distance, curling effort at Flekken just after the 50-minute mark, but the Dutch goalkeeper managed to deflect it over the bar.

One of the biggest opportunities in the opening minutes fell to Vitalii Mykolenko. Ndiaye collected a stray cross at the back of the penalty area and passed it to the Everton left-back, who was making a run toward the goal. Unfortunately, even though he got his foot on the ball, the defender wasn't able to keep it low enough, and his shot sailed over the crossbar from just a few yards out.

Brentford created a solid opportunity moments later as Jensen delivered a brilliant pass to Lewis-Potter, setting him up for a shot. The winger, who previously played for Hull City, managed to get past his defender, but he couldn't get enough power behind his shot. Jensen then sent the rebound soaring over the bar.

Beto replaced Sean Dyche and teamed up with Calvert-Lewin in a gritty partnership. It was Beto who had the next chance to challenge Flekken. McNeil sent in a cross, which Beto, the strong forward, connected with, but Flekken managed to handle it safely just below his crossbar.

A few minutes later, the Portuguese forward had another opportunity to score with a header, this time from a cross by Ashley Young, but it sailed just past the post.

During the second half, McNeil took several long-distance shots, but the standout attempt was saved by Flekken just five minutes before the end of the match.

In stoppage time, Pinnock made a crucial block that showcased the team's strong defense. Additionally, Thiago demonstrated excellent ball control in his first game for Brentford, helping to waste precious time and ensure the Bees achieved their first clean sheet and away point of the season.

Everton's lineup features Pickford in goal, with Young, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, and Mykolenko forming the defense. In midfield, Gueye and Doucoure start, with Mangala coming on for Doucoure in the 72nd minute. Lindstrøm, McNeil, and Ndiaye are in attacking roles, while Calvert-Lewin leads the front line. Beto replaces Lindstrøm in the 72nd minute.

Unused substitutes: Virginia, Patterson, Keane, Harrison, O'Brien, Armstrong, Bates

Brentford's lineup featured Flekken in goal, with van den Berg, Collins, Pinnock, and Lewis-Potter in defense. The midfield included Janelt, who was substituted by Yarmoliuk in the 86th minute, alongside Nørgaard and Jensen. Up front, Mbeumo and Wissa were on the wings, with Wissa being replaced by Thiago in the 71st minute, and Damsgaard also making way for Schade later in the same minute.

Unused substitutes: Valdimarsson, Carvalho, Mee, Konak, Roerslev, and Maghoma.

Frank Delighted With Point At Goodison

Head coach Thomas Frank expressed satisfaction with his team's strong showing in the first half and their solid defense in the second, as the Bees earned a draw at Goodison Park.

Frank mentioned, "Looking at the first half, prior to the red card, there were several things I was pleased with. I appreciated our courage and the way we made an effort to advance."

"We discovered some great opportunities and generated an amazing chance from it, which made me very happy."

"In the second half, we put on an incredible defensive display. Our mindset, determination, and commitment were impressive. We threw ourselves into protecting our goal, adhering to our defensive strategies. Even though we played deeper at times, we still looked for opportunities to attack."

"I was really happy about that."

Collins: We Deserved Clean Sheets Today

Brentford defender Nathan Collins expressed his joy at achieving the team's first clean sheet of the season, following a strong and determined performance on Saturday.

"It was challenging and not simple at all; the team really put in the effort," he said.

"We began on a strong note, showcasing some solid football. The second half was challenging and intense, but we managed to handle it effectively."

He said, "[Christian] Nørgaard was extremely disappointed at halftime. We all recognize how much he contributes to our team, so we dedicated the second half to him and all the hard work he puts in."

"Finally achieving that first clean sheet is fantastic—it's something I've been quite frustrated about! We've been solid defensively in 95 percent of our matches, but unfortunately, in that small five percent, we've let in some messy goals."

"But we earned that today."