A hard working Everton Women claimed a point in their final fixture of October as the Blues battled third place Manchester United to a 0-0 draw at Goodison Park.
The formation saw Ornella Vignola leading the line alone, as left-back Maz Pacheco assumed an unfamiliar role further up the field from her usual position alongside Rosa van Gool and Yuka Momiki, who formed a trio behind the Spaniard.
Clare Wheeler and Ruby Mace lined up behind Momiki, van Gool and Pacheco, sitting in front of a back four of Hannah Blundell, Rion Ishikawa, Naomi Layzell and Hikaru Kitagawa.
Courtney Brosnan returned in between the sticks and also donned the captain’s armband, as Everton looked ready for a battle against Eva Olid’s team.
But the Blues were keen to show that they were there to more than just contain their visitors, and were the first to threaten through the clever Momiki, who drifted inside to unleash a powerful drive from the edge of the box only to see her effort whistle wide of Phallon Tullis-Joyce’s near-post.
United would then go on to enjoy the majority of possession, but it is testament to Phelan’s tactics and the team’s commitment to deliver on them that they kept the Red Devils at bay and Brosnan largely untroubled.
And after soaking up United’s dominance in possession the game slowed considerably, although Blundell did force a smart save out of Tullis-Joyce on the stroke of half-time as honours remained even at the break.
The second 45 immediately showed greater urgency, with Vignola firing an effort in to the chest of Le Tissier from the edge of the box immediately after play resumed.
The visitors responded and Brosnan had to show why she is one of the best keepers in the WSL to thwart Dominique Janssen.
The Netherlands latched on to a clever press from former Toffee Jess Park’s threaded through ball and tried to catch the Republic of Ireland international off-guard, but the skipper was well prepared to deal with the effort.
With the game heading for a stalemate, Phelan looked to his bench and introduced Noemie Mouchon - Everton’s only substitute of the afternoon - to replace Momiki with nine minutes remaining as the head coach hoped the former Leicester City forward could make it three goals in three games, having netted in the precious two fixtures.
But it was not to be and after three minutes of injury time, the referee called time on the goalless affair to mark a solid point for the Toffees on home soil.
While Phelan won’t be lauding a draw at home, the fact his team kept their first clean sheet in the league in four games against a side who fully expect to be in the conversation for the WSL title should not be overlooked and represents a number of positives for Everton, who have concluded October on a positive note.
November gets no easier though, as an away trip to Chelsea on Sunday, 7 September, will be followed by another clash in the capital a week later against Tottenham Hotspur, while a Subway Players Cup encounter at home to Durham is sandwiched in between the two London fixtures.