Arteta, who had evidently been aware of the "three defensive midfielders" line that had been floating around social media, insisted: I don't know [the narrative] because I don't read that.

Everton and Aston Villa played out a scrappy, ill-tempered stalemate at Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Everton XI: Pickford, Keane, Tarkowski, O'Brien, Iroegbunam, Gueye, Garner, Dewsbury-Hall, Grealish, Ndiaye, Beto.