The banner held aloft by a Tottenham Hotspur supporter before kick-off was not so much a plea for action as a cry for help.

“Please Score A Goal” was the message brandished in the direction of the Spurs players as they came out against Everton in search of their first in the Premier League this season.

After another goalless 45 minutes, there was a compelling case for a hasty rewrite asking “Please Have A Shot” as, for all their possession, Roberto de Zerbi’s expensively assembled side struggled to get anywhere near Jordan Pickford’s goal.

And so it went on in an increasingly angry and frustrated atmosphere inside Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as Spurs’ goalless league streak extended to 407 minutes as a stuttering start to what was meant to be brave new era continued.

It was the first time they have failed to score in their opening four league games across all four tiers – and also in four successive Premier League matches since September 2006.

The grim statistic would be bad enough in any circumstances, but it is even worse after Spurs spent in excess of £300m in the summer, much of it designed to give De Zerbi’s side an added edge.

Instead, they are a blunt instrument.

This was the first Premier League goalless draw, in the 140th game, at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

On this evidence, there will be more.

It may seem early days for an apology to the supporters, but De Zerbi felt the need as he said: “I’m sorry to the fans. We are sorry to the fans.

“They were fantastic, especially in the first part of the game because when they see the team is playing well, pushing to find the solution they were inside the pitch with my players. Then the reaction of the fans is normal. We have to say thanks all the time to them.”

Everton could have actually made matters worse, but they are also short of attacking threat themselves – luckily for Spurs.

As the second half wore on, the resilient visitors actually missed the game’s two best chances through Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Brennan Johnson, while the mood became increasingly sour as nerves and anxiety grew.

When £85m summer signing Mateus Fernandes had Spurs’ first shot on target after 46 minutes, the stadium rattled to the sound of ironic applause.

There was no irony when they played the ball around at the back with only seven minutes left, and when the final whistle sounded it was just like old times – or at least like last season – as jeers sent De Zerbi’s players on their way.

He went through the card in an attempt to change this embarrassing barren sequence in front of goal, playing new signings from Manchester City, Omar Marmoush and Savio, in the attacking positions, with Dominic Solanke handed his first league start of the campaign.

As time went on and the tension mounted, Mohammed Kudus and James Maddison were sent on, but it was another substitute, Lucas Bergvall, who almost snatched victory with a late long-range effort, saved by Everton goalkeeper Pickford after he had gifted the Swede possession and an opportunity.

Watching it all from close quarters was a grim-faced Richarlison, the 29-year-old Brazil striker in dispute with the club over the remaining nine months of his contract.

He was left out of De Zerbi’s Premier League squad after a proposed deadline-day return to former club Everton collapsed. A switch back to Brazil with Vasco da Gama has also failed to materialise.

The ‘xG’ – expected goals – statistic suggests Spurs should have scored three or four goals this season, but their non-penalty xG per shot this season is just 0.066. It gives them an expected conversion rate of 6.6%.

In layman’s terms, it means they are not very good when comes to creating an attacking threat.

De Zerbi, never someone to disguise his emotions, grew more animated and irritated as the game went on, marching on to the pitch at the final whistle for an exchange with substitute Mathys Tel.

When any side embarks on the sort of root and branch revolution the Italian presided over this summer, it is inevitable there will be teething problems and time required for understandings and relationships to form.

And the change is understandable after two successive 17th-placed finishes in the Premier League. Indeed, Spurs’ last league goal actually came against Everton on the final day of last season, courtesy of Joao Palhinha.

It kept them in the top flight, allowing them to make a fresh start for this campaign.

De Zerbi, who still has much work to do to rid Spurs of the aftershock of two poor seasons, said: “I think in the first 30 minutes we were very, good but we didn’t find a goal. I think in that moment we suffer too much with confidence and this is another important part for us at the moment.

“In the second half, I observed many players had a little less confidence and I don’t like this. They have to be happy and understand we are in the right way.

“The players are human and they have emotions and they think with their head. My position is to help them and stay focus on the improvement we have to do. If we play 90 minutes like we did in the first 30 minutes, I think we are going to win many games.”

Spurs, however, have a toothlessness that must be a concern. It is certainly one for the supporters who watched their players either take too long over chances or, on many occasions, passed on the responsibility.

They also ran into a rugged Everton defence, with Jarrad Branthwaite magnificent as he stepped up his claims for a place in Thomas Tuchel’s next England squad after injury troubles.

For Spurs, however, there were few positives as the wait for a first Premier League win – and goal – this season goes on.