Everton - 0 Southampton - 0 At the end of a week in which Everton vehemently denied they would sell Wayne Rooney, Goodison fans were given a reminder of life without their teenage hero - and they did not like what they saw.

A year to the day when Rooney announced himself with that astonishing winner against Arsenal as a 16-year-old, the suspended England striker was not around to add his blend of power and pace.

Southampton were the better side and should have turned their greater possession into goals. But Rooney was not around to punish their failure to take chances.

Everton were without the injured trio Alan Stubbs, Tomasz Radzinski and Duncan Ferguson and it meant David Weir and Kevin Campbell came in for their first games of the season while Francis Jeffers had his first start of the campaign.

Southampton were without the suspended Kevin Phillips, so Brett Ormerod came in as the only change from the side that went out of the UEFA Cup in midweek against Steaua Bucharest.

But there was no European hangover from the Saints, who started with enterprise and in sprightly fashion, even if Everton had the best couple of chances early on.

Scotland youngster James McFadden almost broke the deadlock when he surged into the box after a corner and unleashed a drive which Saints goalkeeper Antti Niemi had to beat away.

But it was collective good work of the Saints that had Everton on the back foot, and Nigel Martyn had to beat away a 10-yard shot from Ormerod after some neat approach work. Saints upped their tempo after the break and James Beattie saw two headers clear the bar, and Fabrice Fernandes also went close from long range.

Everton spluttered in all departments but did break from a long spell in defence with 10 minutes left for Kevin Kilbane to blaze over.