Everton draw shows Swansea City progress, says Garry Monk

“We benefited from that experience, and we want to be involved in Europe again”, he said, “to have that mentality that will give us the same focus in every single game we go into”.

Everton have yet to concede away from home in the league this season with their Swansea shut-out coming on the back of a goalless draw at Tottenham and a 3-0 win at Southampton.

Everton never looked likely to steal a point in Swansea on Saturday, as the Toffees produced one of their least inspiring outings of the campaign.

The cliche at times like these is that the club are “taking it one game at a time“, but it is hard to shake the feeling the side are already starting to expect results rather than manufacture them.

In theory, this is a game that should suit Monk’s side more than the scrap they faced at Watford, but only in theory, for Everton arrive on the back of a comprehensive 3-1 victory over Chelsea.

Everton’s Tyias Browning (left) and Swansea City’s Jefferson Montero battle for the ball Simon Galloway/PA Wire.

Swansea normally start quickly at home, so they will place a lot of emphasis on scoring an early goal to enable them to dictate the play from then on.

“I am a big admirer of what Garry Monk has done at Swansea,” Martinez said.

“Everton have got some great players but we showed that we are on an even keel with them”.

He is too good a player for his record of no goals or assists this season to continue for too long, but the frustrating is building.

Everton came close on several occasions in the first half, with Brendan Galloway turning away from Fernandez and Kyle Naughton before dragging his shot wide five minutes after the restart.

“I felt he was a striker trying to defend himself and maybe putting in a defensive challenge which looked worse than it actually was”.

Romelu Lukaku was perhaps the chief culprit, spurning two glorious chances in the second half from probing Ross Barkley passes.

As Match of the Day’s iconic closing tune was playing, angry Evertonians took to Twitter to register their disgust at Stones’ omission from the show.

“I’m much happier this week than I was last week against Watford”. But I know the chairman well and unless it suits us, no player will go anywhere.

“He’s become a bedrock in Swansea City’s defence and was really clever to read a unsafe free kick and clear the danger”.