Match Report

Anthony Gordon scored his second goal in the space of three days and Everton took another precious lead into half-time away from home but they had to settle for a point again following Luis Sinisterra’s 55th-minute strike.

The Blues had been rewarded for an excellent first-half display with the advantage at the halfway stage but they failed to contain their hosts early in the second half and were punished.

Demarai Gray had the ball in the net in the 66th minute but was flagged for the slenderest of offside decisions that was, controversially, backed up by Video Assistant Referee, Lee Mason, and there were chances late on for Amadou Onana and Nathan Patterson while Jordan Pickford made a brilliant save to deny Leeds’s Joel Gelhardt.

With Mason Holgate injured, Frank Lampard opted for a 4-3-3 formation for the first time this season, with Nathan Patterson and Vitalii Mykolenko as full-backs either side of James Tarkowski and Conor Coady.

New signing Neal Maupay was the victim of the Bank Holiday and a bizarre Premier League ruling that required his registration for the match to have been completed one full working day before this evening’s fixture and had to watch on from the sidelines.

That meant Gray, Gordon and Dwight McNeil starting as a forward trio once more and the latter two were involved as Everton took the lead with their first effort on goal.

McNeil did well to get to the ball ahead of a Leeds defender and poke it to Iwobi and the Nigerian dissected the home defence with a perfectly-weighted ball which Gordon picked up and guided through the Illan Meslier's legs.

Rodrigo came within a whisker of levelling a few minutes later but failed to make any contact on Jack Harrison’s cross before having to go off with a suspected shoulder dislocation sustained when he came together with Pickford in the 28th minute.

With Jesse Marsch’s half-time team talk ringing in their ears, the home side came out much stronger at the start of the second period and Brenden Aaronson worked Pickford for the first time with a powerful drive in the first minute following the restart.

Five minutes later, a cross from the Leeds right came all the through Harrison but his tame shot was easily dealt with by the Blues’ keeper, but the warnings weren’t heeded and the visitors’ lead was wiped out five minutes after that.

Pickford’s clearance came straight back through midfield to Sinisterra and he took an early shot that wrong-footed the keeper and crept inside the post to make it 1-1.

Rather than fold, Everton held their own even if they were careless in possession in midfield at times and McNeil dragged a shot wide before Gordon hesitated a fraction too long before sliding Gray in for a one-on-one chance against Meslier which he successfully converted. Unfortunately, the linesman’s flag cut short the Toffees’ celebrations and there was to be no reprieve from VAR’s arbitrary lines.

At the other end, Gelhardt missed the target from 10 yards out and Pickford had to come up huge to thwart the same player a few minutes later. Alex Iwobi had dithered and been dispossessed near the centre-circle, Tarkowski stumbled over the ball as it was played into the box the England keeper somehow got an out-stretched hand to the eventual shot from Gelhardt that was otherwise destined for goal.

Though visibly tiring and with no help coming from the substitutes’ bench which remained inactive throughout, Everton almost won it in the final 10 minutes or so.

First, a corner from the left skipped through to Onana who controlled it but fired his shot straight into Rasmus Kristensen’s head from point-blank range. Then Gordon sent Patterson into the clear down the channel but the young Scot smashed his effort straight at the goalkeeper who blocked it away to safety from the hosts’ perspective.

Lyndon Lloyd

Matchday Updates

Everton head to Elland Road for Round 5 of the Premier League, against  Leeds United.

New signing Neal Maupay is not involved in tonight's squad where Davies and McNeil are restored with Frank Lampard finally dropping the back 5 and going with a 4-3-3 formation.

Everton kicked off in their lurid pink third strip, rather than wearing all blue against the all-white of Leeds. It was cagey at first, Leeds preferring a slow build until Paterson had to intervene. But they then gave the ball back to Leeds, and turnovers became the initial theme.  

Mykolenko tried to feed Davies who had stayed offside, while Leeds tried and failed to pass their way into the Everton penalty area, and their slow build-up resumed. Coady cut out a long ball but Everton could not keep it and Onana had to give up the first corner, headed clear. 

Gordon got well hammered by Kristensen, as things got spicey, the Leeds player demanding a card as if he'd done nothing. All part of a strategy to rile Gordon? Everton finally had some decent possession until Pickford cleared long and Leeds came straight back, with a shot at Pickford.  

Everton were also slow and deliberate until Iwobi sensed a chance and slid in a brilliant ball for Gordon to score with almost an identical shot to his excellent goal at Brentford.

The euphoria was spoilt by a moment of sheer stupidity from Tom Davies, who decided to stick his foot up lamely at Meslier. How fucking stupid! Yellow card. Utterly idiotic from Davies. Rodrigo then almost stepped in as Pickford was ball-watching. Nonsense then ensued about goalkeeper time-wasting as Leeds and their fans struggled for a way back into this game. 

Kristensen next caught Gray, nothing from the referee. Pickford came out and brilliantly beat off Rodrigo, who went down, whinging about his shoulder, Leeds now blatantly wasting time over his treatment on the field until he went off, possibly with a dislocated shoulder. 

Coady again played that direct long ball, but it didn't come off. Gordon brilliantly spun Krsitenssen but his reserve simply body-checked Gordon to stop him dribbling in their area. Agan, no Leeds card. From the free-kick, terrible attempts at shots by Mykolenko and Davies. 

It was getting fractious and scrappy now, Pickford almost making a fool of himself with a wild charge and flailing half-punch but he was rescued. But Leeds were being very well marshalled by Everton's disciplined defence, organized by Coady and Tarkowski, who was next to get smacked by a Leeds player. They are a dirty lot.

Mykolenko got beaten well by Sinisterra but again the defence closed off the path in front of him.  More niggle on an Everoon free-kick, Adams encroaching, and finally a yellow card for Dirty Leeds.

Mykolenko made a poor mistake in not stopping a ball from going out of play when it had been passed to him by McNeil. That play led directly to a Leeds corner which needed more good work from Patterson and ended with a wild shot over from Koch,  

Gray and Gordon looked to fashion something but Gordon's cross was terrible and allowed another Leeds attack to develop that was again very well defended.  Leeds continued to try and build but they just weren't getting into the Everton penalty area.

However, they won another corner in added time, played deep, and again defended away to end a rather good half for Everton without too much by way of adventure going forward to build on Gordon's excellent go-ahead goal.  

Leeds got the game underway again after the break, and found their way in fr a superb shot from Aronson that Pickford palmed behind for a corner. But Everton kept hat out, Gordon trying o break down he win. However, Leed came back, McNeil defending for another corner, whipped in and put behind by Patterson. The defending wa scrappy but effective, 

The Leeds pressure continued, Harrison shooting low at Pickford. Another warning. Everton trying to break, almost too fast, McNeil all on his own, But Leeds came back, Aronson crossing into Pickford's arms with Geldhart claiming Tarkowski had impeded him. 

It was highly competitive stuff, with Leeds determined to equalize and Sinisterra did just that from nothing really, Pickford somehow unsighted by Tarkowski, made no attempt, allowing his shot to bobble inside the post. 

At the other end, Gordon was denied an obvious corner, again, why nothing from the VAR?  It then got a bit more tasty, Kristensen at the heart of it, pushed by Gordon who then did the forehead lock thing. Yellow cards for both of them.  

More brilliant defending from Patterson on Harrison prevented a corner but Everton had allowed Leeds to take full command of the play and were unable to hold the ball. Another Leeds attack and this time Patterson defended at the expense of a corner, 

Everton got forward again and this time Gray scored but it looked marginally offside, confirmed by the VAR. 

Everton finally played forward and Gordon tried to get McNeil to play him in but McNeil wanted to shoo, wide. Patterson was booked for a silly challenge. Leeds attacked again, Gelhardt lashing a dangerous shot wide. 

Everton were not doing enough with the ball their possession sats just shocking, but they did advance o win a corner through Gray, punched away by Meslier and Leeds winning their own corner that was headed wide. 

Gelheadt danced around Tarkowski and seemed to be in on goal but somehow Pickford denied him with a great block. Still Leeds kept attacking relentlessly and Everton had no way of relieving the pressure, with horribly sloppy wasted passes. But Gordon and Mykolemnko .won a corner,  McNeil putting it in and Everon somehow failing to score, Onana kicking it into Kristensen's head!

But it was a relentless battle for space, Leeds having more energy after using their subs while Lampard steadfastly refused to indulge in such luxuries. But a god Everon move saw Gordon set up Patterns to score the winner.... only he didn't, firing far too close to Meslier.

Again Leeds attacked but Harrisson fired well wide. Everton tried to break again but yet again surrendered the ball, this time Davies offering like resistance. Leeds attacked again but Everon kept them at bay. Tarkowski gave up another corner, played short thankfully to Gray. Leeds kept pumping balls at Bamford but he had not really threatened Pickford. 

Into just 3 minutes of added time, no Everton subs used, and still Everton facing attack after attack right to the end. Another game they shoulda and coulda... but didn't.

Leeds United: Meslier, Kristensen [Y:59'], Koch, Llorente, Struijk, Adams [Y:40'], Roca, Sinisterra (64' Klich), Aaronson (76' James) , Harrison, Rodrigo (32' Gelhardt (76' Bamford)). 

Subs not Used: Forshaw, Summerville, Klaesson, Drameh, Greenwood,

Everton:  Pickford, Patterson [Y:67'], Coady, Tarkowski, Mykolenko, Onana, Davies [Y:20'], Iwobi, Gordon [Y:59'], Gray, McNeil.

Subs not Used: Begovic, Keane, Allan, Gomes, Coleman, Vinagre, Rondon, Mills, Welch.

Attendance: 36,338

Michael Kenrick

Match Preview

Leeds United 1 -1 Everton

There were many painful features of Everton’s 2021-22 season but one of the salient ones was a marked shortage of draws. The Blues finished 16th last season with 11 victories; Brighton, who managed their highest ever Premier League placing of ninth only won one more game. A key difference? The Seagulls drew 15 of their matches; in other words, when they couldn’t win they made sure they didn’t lose, something Everton found very difficult last season, especially away from home.

It’s for that reason that, as frustrating as it is to have given up a one-goal lead in successive matches, the important thing was that Frank Lampard’s side got something out of visits to Brentford and Leeds in the space of three days. If they can do the same in their next two games, against Liverpool and Arsenal, it would be a further indication of stabilisation and progress under the relatively new manager.

And there have been clear signs of progress in the last two outings — evidence that a seemingly toothless forward trio of wingers can fashion and score goals; that in addition to the blossoming Anthony Gordon, young players like Nathan Patterson and Amadou Onana are visibly growing into the roles; that even if forced upon him to a degree by injury, Lampard is able to adapt his formation to accommodate three in midfield; and that the spirit, the feistiness and the determination that characterised so much of last season’s successful battle against the drop is still there.

Like the Gtech Community Stadium, where Brentford had spanked Manchester United 4-0 a week before Everton went down there on Saturday, Elland Road is not an easy place to go at the moment, even though Leeds barely escaped relegation themselves last season.

Jesse Marsch’s men had won their first two home games of this season, the second a high-intensity, comprehensive dismantling of Chelsea 3-0. Under the passionate American coach, the Lilywhites have retained much of the athletic and dynamic posture they had under Marcelo Bielsa and recruited impressively despite having lost arguably their two best players in Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha.

Lampard was expecting a fast-paced and intense encounter, he geared his charges up for it accordingly and he was rewarded with a performance that never lacked for effort even if it sometimes lacked composure, particularly in possession in the second half. He elected not to use any of his five available substitutes &8211; another indication that we still need reinforcements before the deadline; the bench was painfully short on game-changing options &8211; and some leggy players gutted it out to the end, leaving the field feeling perhaps as though they should have grabbed all three points given the two chances they had in the final 10 minutes.

With Mason Holgate injured, Lampard opted for a 4-3-3 formation for the first time this season, with Patterson and Vitalii Mykolenko as full-backs either side of James Tarkowski and Conor Coady.

New signing Neal Maupay was the victim of the Bank Holiday and a bizarre Premier League ruling that required his registration for the match to have been completed one full working day before this evening’s fixture and had to watch on from the sidelines.

That meant Demarai Gray, Gordon and Dwight McNeil starting as a forward trio once more and the latter two were involved as Everton took the lead with their first effort on goal.

McNeil did well to get to the ball ahead of a Leeds defender and poke it to Iwobi and the Nigerian dissected the home defence with a perfectly-weighted ball which Gordon picked up and guided through the Illan Meslier's legs.

Rodrigo came within a whisker of levelling a few minutes later but failed to make any contact on Jack Harrison’s cross before having to go off with a suspected shoulder dislocation sustained when he came together with Pickford in the 28th minute.

With Marsch’s half-time team talk ringing in their ears, the home side came out much stronger at the start of the second period and Brenden Aaronson worked Pickford for the first time with a powerful drive in the first minute following the restart.

Five minutes later, a cross from the Leeds right came all the through Harrison but his tame shot was easily dealt with by the Blues’ keeper, but the warnings weren’t heeded and the visitors’ lead was wiped out five minutes after that.

Pickford’s clearance came straight back through midfield to Sinisterra and he took an early shot that wrong-footed the keeper and crept inside the post to make it 1-1.

Rather than fold, Everton held their own even if they were careless in possession in midfield at times and McNeil dragged a shot wide before Gordon hesitated a fraction too long before sliding Gray in for a one-on-one chance against Meslier which he successfully converted. Unfortunately, the linesman’s flag cut short the Toffees’ celebrations and there was to be no reprieve from VAR’s arbitrary lines.

At the other end, Gelhardt missed the target from 10 yards out and Pickford had to come up huge to thwart the same player a few minutes later. Alex Iwobi had dithered and been dispossessed near the centre-circle, Tarkowski stumbled over the ball as it was played into the box the England keeper somehow got an out-stretched hand to the eventual shot from Gelhardt that was otherwise destined for goal.

Though visibly tiring and with no help coming from the substitutes’ bench which remained inactive throughout, Everton almost won it in the final 10 minutes or so.

First, a corner from the left skipped through to Onana who controlled it but fired his shot straight into Rasmus Kristensen’s head from point-blank range. Then Gordon sent Patterson into the clear down the channel but the young Scot smashed his effort straight at the goalkeeper who blocked it away to safety from the hosts’ perspective.

After the harrowing events of last season, on the face of it, three points from 15 represents a meagre return, particularly when you consider who the opponents are in the next two fixtures. It’s conceivable that Everton would still be sitting on three points when West Ham come to town on 18th September, although you wouldn’t bet against them picking up something from either Saturday’s derby or the trip to Emirates… and that’s even before we know who might come in to the squad before the deadline.

Regardless, there was enough on show this evening and at Brentford to suggest that this isn’t a relegation-calibre team under Lampard. There is evidence of a plan and that the players have bought into the manager’s methods. If the arc of improvement continues, that will inevitably turn into points and, if they continue to pick them up away from home and capitalise on Fortress Goodison at home, it should be enough to see the Toffees safe this season, barring any unforeseen disasters.

Lyndon Lloyd

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