Relegation-threatened Burnley avoided a defeat for the second game running in the Premier League as they held Everton to a goalless draw at Turf Moor.

It was a match of very few chances with a particularly lacklustre first half producing just one shot on target - a Charly Alcaraz header that was guided straight into the hands of Burnley goalkeeper Martin Dubravka.

Armando Broja proved a handful for Everton defence all game, albeit without any end product, as both sides seemed unable to shrug off the festive hangover.

The second half promised more excitement as the game opened up more and chances were exchanged at both ends early on.

Marcus Edwards lifted the ball over the Everton defence for Jacob Bruun Larsen, who failed to slot past the advancing Jordan Pickford in the 57th minute.

Dubravka was then forced into a brilliant save five minutes later as Everton striker Beto got on the end of a Tim Iroegbunam cross and tried to catch the Burnley keeper off guard with a cheeky backheel.

Burnley defender Bashir Humphreys then dragged a shot wide in his full Premier League debut before Everton substitute Thierno Barry was denied from close range by Dubravka to keep the score level.

The result leaves Burnley six points behind 17th-placed Nottingham Forest, while Everton are 11th with 25 points from 18 matches.

David Moyes was without three of his best creative forces as Everton eyed a return to winning ways at Turf Moor after successive defeats by Chelsea and Arsenal.

Adding to the absences of Iliman Ndiaye, away at the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) with Senegal, and the injured Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Jack Grealish was also missing from the matchday squad with a virus.

But that handed a rare opportunity for 19-year-old winger Tyler Dibling - a £40m summer signing from Southampton - whose only previous Everton start came against Crystal Palace on 5 October and ended at half-time.

Moyes has preferred the more experienced Dwight McNeil on the right wing as a back-up for four-goal Ndiaye, but with Grealish also absent on Saturday it was a chance for the teenager to make an impression on his manager.

He began brightly by flashing an effort across the goal that was not far from an arriving Beto for Everton's first real chance.

He also did well to provide the cross from which Alcaraz registered the first shot on target in the 29th minute, which would have made the Everton faithful wonder why Moyes does not trust him enough to hand him more regular minutes.

But by the time he made way for Nathan Patterson in the 89th minute, Dibling had struggled to reproduce the spark and ingenuity that set him apart in an otherwise poor Southampton side during the first half of the 2024-25 season.

The draw is a setback for Everton, aiming for a place in Europe after a seven-year hiatus, but it was a performance that could be expected of a side that only had six outfield players on the bench - four of whom were yet to make their full Premier League debuts.

Burnley would have hoped to build on the 1-1 draw at Bournemouth last Saturday, courtesy of a last-gasp equaliser from Broja.

It was their first point in the Premier League since the win against bottom side Wolves on 26 October and ended a run of seven successive defeats.

A first victory in nine matches was there for the taking on Saturday against an Everton side who have had their share of struggles in attack this season.

Though Everton produced a much-improved display in the second half, it was the hosts who still finished with a superior xG - expected goals - of 1.65, compared to the visitors' 0.88, despite not having a shot on target from 16 attempts.

It is a worrying trend for Scott Parker's side, whose only shot on target against the Cherries last week was Broja's 90th-minute leveller.

Parker will also have to deal with an injury to skipper Josh Cullen after the defensive midfielder had to be substituted in the 53rd minute following a coming together with Iroegbunam.

But he will now prepare his side for another home fixture against Newcastle United only few days away with the hope that his players will turn some of those chances into goals.

Burnley welcome Newcastle to Turf Moor in their next Premier League fixture on Tuesday, 30 December (19:30 GMT).

Meanwhile, Everton will be at the City Ground to take on Nottingham Forest at the same time.