Manchester United and Everton's Under-21s played out a goalless draw at Leigh Sports Village with the point enough to take Warren Joyce's side back to the top of the table.
Both Joyce and David Unsworth fielded strong line-ups for the encounter but it was United who had virtually all of the noteworthy attempts on goal, without finding a way past Russell Griffiths.
James Wilson beat his marker Brendan Galloway on nine minutes and cut back sensibly to Nick Powell but the forward's shot was repelled by Griffiths, who dived to his right to save. After a James Weir shot deflected off Leon Osman and looped well wide, Powell went close again with a powerful header that he was unable to steer on target.
Andreas Pereira's free-kick created that opening and, following a spell of Everton pressure, another superb set-piece found Powell unmarked beyond the far post, only for his goalbound header to be met with a superb clearance off the line by Ryan Ledson to keep the scoresheet blank.
After appearing to tweak a hamstring when latching onto a long ball by Rafael, Powell's night came to an abrupt end four minutes before the break but the chances kept coming the hosts' way. Pereira saw a dangerous-looking drive blocked by Jonjoe Kenny and Griffiths clawed a looping header by substitute Josh Harrop as it appeared to hit the woodwork.
The second period started in scrappy fashion but some nice play by Tyler Blackett and Weir presented Wilson with an inviting shooting opportunity, only for the no.9 to blast it too close to Griffiths. The tackles kept flying in from both teams with Rafael guilty of a poor challenge on Steven Pienaar seconds before being substituted.
Wilson turned Galloway to register another shot on target as the Reds remained the likelier scorers. Harrop lashed an ambitious volley high over the top and Wilson was squeezed out by Galloway and Callum Connelly when Reece James provided a
