Everton 1 Leeds United 1: Inability to build on excellent first half costs Whites two points — Yorkshire Post 26/1/26
By Stuart Rayner
For 45 minutes, Leeds United were excellent on their first
visit to Bramley Moore Dock, dominating Everton tactically, winning the run of
midfield and attacking with verve and energy.
But having got themselves in front through James Justin,
they did not have the courage to take the final step. Pushed back by the
much-improved hosts, a submissive second half forced them to settle for a point
which is a good result for them against now-top-half opposition, but ought to
have been a better one.
On paper, Leeds' team-sheet looked conservative with two
midfield bodyguards in Ilia Gruev and Ethan Ampadu but allowed Anton Stach and
Duracell Bunny Brenden Aaronson to play in front of them, and Jayden Bogle to
find plenty of space on the right.
It was only in the second half they slipped into
safety-first mode – or rather were forced into it.
Everton won two corners inside the first four minutes, but
it would prove a false dawn as Leeds quickly took control of midfield and with
it the game.
Stach showed a bright mind in the eighth minute to stab a ball first time down the middle for Dominic Calvert-Lewin only for the former Evertonian to find himself squeezed out by Jordan Pickford coming off his line and defenders converging.
It took an excellent Nathan Patterson tackle in the penalty
area to stop Aaronson having a shot on goal, but it was coming.
Bogle intercepted a pass meant for his old Sheffield United
team-mate Iliman Ndiaye and put in a curling ball that deserved a finish but
Aaronson – and others – did not anticipate it.
Gruev steered a shot over when a corner came out to him.
To see Bogle getting in Justin's way as he tried to shoot
but for both wing-backs to be in the penalty area 19 minutes into an away game
was a good sign. Justin was making light of Gabriel Gudmundsson's adductor
injury.
Leeds got their reward on the half-hour and it as no
surprise it came down the right. Bogle won the ball for Stach to square and
Calvert-Lewin and Aaronson were clever and unselfish, the striker dragging men
away from danger, the playmaker realising the shot was easier for Justin than
for him, and leaving him to it. It ought to have been two,
Three minutes later Aaronson popped up at inside-right and
found Bogle, whose cross invited a first-time shot from Calvert-Lewin, but he
hit a post.
At half-time David Moyes brought on a third central
defender, Jarrod Branthwaite and Everton's new 3-1-4-2 formation closed up a
lot of the spaces Leeds had been enjoying.
It was hard for the Toffees to find a way through but they
did it more often, Sebastiaan Bornauw having to come across to block Ndiaye's
shot when Justin ran inside into trouble and allowed Idrissa Gana Gueye to feed
the forward.
Karl Darlow had to make an excellent stretching save when
Thierno Barry was played through in the 63rd minute.
In between time Strach had a shot saved, but it lacked the
power to trouble Pickford.
Farke brought Ao Tanaka on to thread the passes Everton were
managing to, but he was unable to do that, nor close down the spaces. Moyes
responded by putting winger Tyler Dibling on at wing-back.
Leeds got pushed back into a five and a four, unable to
break free and clung on like a tiring boxer on the ropes.
Everton got their dues in the 76th minute, Barry running
across Bornauw to fire Gueye's low cross in from the far post. A couple of
minutes later Gueye thumped a shot against the crossbar.
Leeds changed to a back four in the 85th minute and chances
came at both ends, Noah Okafor picking out fellow substitute Sean Longstaff to
blaze over in the 88th minute, Dibling's cross spinning off a defender to
safety a minute later.
Longstaff's stoppage-time corner cleared everyone and when
debutant Facundo Buonanotte's shot was blocked, Justin headed the corner wide.
Leeds had waited too late to grab what look like it should
be theirs at the break.
