Leeds United 1 Everton 1: Whites recover from injury blow as new signing excels to bag point - YEP 30/8/22

Luis Sinisterra's classy strike on his full Leeds United league debut earned Jesse Marsch's Whites a point as Tuesday night's clash against Premier League visitors Everton ended in a 1-1 draw.

By Lee Sobot

Everton took the lead through their first attack in the 17th minute as Anthony Gordon coolly slotted the ball past Illan Meslier after Diego Llorente made a mess of trying to clear an Alex Iwobi through ball.

Leeds then lost striker Rodrigo to a shoulder injury but Jesse Marsch's side drew level ten minutes after the break through a fine low drive from 20 yards out from summer signing Sinisterra on his full Whites league debut.

United made an energetic start but without fashioning a chance in the first 15 minutes, the early highlight being a sublime piece of control and turn from Sinisterra.

But an unfortunate touch from Sinisterra fashioned an opening for Everton from which Frank Lampard's side took a 17th minute lead.

Sinisterra's interception as Everton pressed presented the ball back to the Toffees and Llorente then failed to cut out Iwobi's through ball which fell to Gordon and the Toffees forward coolly slotted the ball through Illan Meslier's legs.

Leeds squandered a good chance to equalise five minutes later as Rodrigo narrowly failed to get a touch to an inviting cross from Jack Harrison from the left.

Rodrigo then sent a difficult header wide from a Brenden Aaronson cross two minutes later and the Whites striker was then played in by a superb Sinisterra through ball but Jordan Pickford rushed out to clear.

Rodrigo injured his shoulder in the process and immediately signalled for treatment.

The Spanish international could not continue and was quickly taken off and replaced by Joe Gelhardt who had to wait a few minutes before finally coming on in the 31st minute.

Sinisterra continued to be considerably the brightest Leeds spark and the Colombian skinned Vitalii Mykolenko with a brilliant flick and nutmeg but the next Whites attempt did not arrive until the 44th minute when Robin Koch walloped an effort well over the bar from long range.

Meslier then got away with kicking a clearance straight to Gordon as Everton failed to work an opportunity for an attempt at goal and Leeds were unable to fashion another opening in four minutes of added time as the visitors survived a corner.

Leeds made a bright start to the second half and Harrison worked an opening for Aaronson whose rising effort from just inside the area was beaten away by Pickford.

The Whites then squandered a glorious opening a few minutes later when a Sinisterra cross sailed all the way through to Harrison who had just Pickford to beat but fired a low shot straight at the Everton keeper.

But Leeds drew level in the 56th minute after a moment of magic from the excellent Sinisterra who worked an opening some 20 yards out and produced a brilliant low shot that sailed past Pickford into the bottom right corner.

An already feisty affair then went up a few more levels as Gordon and Rasmus Kristensen went head to head after a duel on the touchline which also led to a melee between the two benches.

Everton then went close as Dwight McNeil flashed a low shot just wide, after which Sinisterra was taken off for Mateusz Klich.

The Toffees thought they had gone ahead moments later as Demarai Gray fired past Meslier after being played through on goal but the striker was flagged offside, just.

But Leeds were on top and Gelhardt fired just wide from inside the box after working space following fine work from Klich.

A potential chance from a Whites corner went begging as Klich and Llorente both went for the ball at the same time but only a brilliant save from Pickford kept out Gelhardt after racing through.

The returning Patrick Bamford and also Dan James were then brought on with 14 minutes left as Gelhardt and Aaronson made way.

But Kristensen saved the day for Leeds as an Everton corner fell to Amadou Onana whose volley hit the Dane on the face.

Everton then looked destined to go back in front in the 84th minute as Gordon played in Nathan Patterson but Meslier produced a brilliant save to keep out his firm shot.

Back came Leeds who wasted an opening as Harrison pulled a shot wide from outside the box.

As the clock hit 89 minutes, Pascal Struijk’s cross created an opening for Bamford who was unable to connect with a clean volley as the Whites and Toffees had to settle for a point each.