Leeds United 1 – 0 Everton
Everton kicked off their new Premier League campaign with a trip to Elland Road to take on newly-promoted Leeds United in a Monday night clash that was broadcast live on Sky Sports. And it was decided by a very harsh penalty call for handball on Tarkowski when he blocked a deflected shot with his arm almost behind his back.
Jarrad Branthwaite was a huge miss after the young centre-back picked up a thigh injury in training. Vitalii Mykolenko was also out injured. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall made his competitive debut for Everton. Harrison Armstrong and Tyler Onyango are amongst the subs, along with Jack Grealish, and Thierno Barry. No Aznou.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin is not involved at all for the home side but Jack Harrison came off the bench in the second half.
First Half
The all-too-familiar Everton kick-off saw the ball back to Pickford and wellied upfield, possession lost. But soon regained with some lively work from Iroegbunam. Gnonto then tried and failed to get past O’Brien. Leeds were snapping at every man in Blue, determined to win the ball back whenever they lost it. Alcaraz tried to get O’Brien overlapping high up but he had strayed offside.
Everton looked to play the long ball over the top but it came back and Tarkowski’s touch almost let Piroe in but Pickford was alert. There was danger from the Leeds corner, but the Blues kept it out. Tarkowskirather foolishly tries to dribble his way through the Leeds press as Everton’s possession looked to take the early spice out of the game.
Playing out from the back leads to trouble and Pirooe’s shot was deflected behind for a corner, headed clear by Beto. Everton resorted back to the long ball, but that just hands Leeds possession. Gnonto danced in behind and Iroegbunam and to dive in to put it behind, the second corner leading to a third. James’s attempted shot was blocked by Alcaraz.
Gnonot came again down the Everton right and O’Brien had to give up the fourth corner this time straight through. The follow-up was a nightmare for Everton defensively but somehow it was kept out.
Iroegbunam was again brilliant at stopping Gnonto, then Alcaraz stole the ball off Ampadu and Everton were at last able to break out of their half but nothing came of it, with Dewsbury-Hall so far a spectator in midfield, unable to get on the ball.
The most dangerous attack yet saw Leeds somehow fail to score after a good cross from Bogle, with James straying offside. Leeds kept on pushing up, testing O’Brien again and again, but he had so far been solid. Another Leeds attack came to nothing with James overhitting his cross.
The Blues worked their way forward through O’Brien, who won a throw, but two crosses in from Gana were very poor. Alcaraz tred to force his way into the Leeds penalty area but the ball came at him too hard. Tenaka was pulled back by Iroegbunam but no yellow card. The Blues lost possession and Tanaka fired off a speculative long-range effort.
Ndiaye finally had a chance to run forward but he tried to do it all himself and Bogle stole the ball back. Leeds came back through Gudmundsson, who did better than Gnonto but drove the cross past James. Leeds worked hard to create a better attack and James could have scored but Garner put it behind for a corner. This one was very well delivered from Stach and somehow O’Brien crucially got his head to it.
Dewsbury-Hall was clattered by Amapdu then Piroe fouled Gana to relieve the pressure. He got a chance to play some passes but too many of them were backwards to Gana. Very poor. No attempt to go forward, and Leeds were soon on the attack again.
Garner was alert to keep the ball away from James but Leeds attacked again, Gnonto tempted into shooting over the Everton bar. Everton looked but failed to mount an attack as the half-time whistle went, with the Blues goal intact: Job One.
Second Half
Jack Grealish still had his training top on when the players came out, so nothing radical at this point from the pragmatic David Moyes: no changes. Tarkowski was just too strong for Rodon from the restart, and Alcarz too strong for Gudmundsson.
A lovely touch from Ndiaye set KDH on the run but his return ball to Ndiaye was blocked. More strong defence from Tarkowski, this time on Gnonto. Everton had some rare continuous possession but only went back to Pickford and messed up the playing out, Gnonto could only shoot at Pickford, thanks to attention from KDH.
Everton got forward through KDH and Alcaraz but nothing came of it. Everton were now trying to get the ball forward but Beto just wasn’t up to reading it or holding to up. Gana was tempted into one of his awful shots high and wide.
Gnonto spun onto a ball but fired into the side netting. Beto failed to win yet another aerial ball pumped up to him. Leeds surged forward, Tim Iroegbunam fractionally late for his tackle on Ampadu, saw yellow. Ampadu needed treatment as Leeds took a corner, again, defended away.
Iroegbunam drove down the left with no support whatsoever. O’Brien then tried down the right as the Everton fans hit full volume with their inspiring songbook. Alcaraz was fouled by Tanaka but Alcaraz, the utter fool, wanted the card for Tanaka and got one himself.
The free-kick from Garner was deflected behind for Everton’s first corner, great delivery from Dewsbury-Hall but nothing from it. But Everton were now getting forward often, O’Brien crossing just too close to Perri. Some great build-up work by Everton was ruined by an awful cross from Gana. Why?
Leeds wanted something when Garner caught James’s foot but it was accidental. Grealish was finally readied to replace Iroegbunam with less than 20 minutes left, and Everton looking a lot more intentional.
Aaronson fouled O’Brien wide right, Dewsbury-Hall’s effort taken by the first defender., But he followed up and some great interpalsaw Alcaraz fire at goal, Perri pushing it behind. A brilliant delivery from Dewsbury-Hall saw O’Brien get too much on his header, senidnhg it a foot over the bar.
Three changes from Daniel Farke, including Jack Harrison coming on. And Leeds mounted a very rare attack, a nice ball bouncing up for Tanalka to lash over.
Everton played forward but Ndiaye looked to have been tripped, and Leedcame back with their strongest attack, A shot parried off Tarkowski who was deemed to have hand-balled a deflected goalbound shot. Cavenagher awarded a penalty despite Tarkowski’s arm very close to his body and almost behind his back.
Lucas Nmecha stepped up and rifled it into the corner despite Pickford’s valiant dive. All that firm defence for nought. Moyes’s response was to take off Alcaraz and bring on Barry, two up top with Beto. Would that work? Less than 5 minutes to find out.
Dewsbury-Hall was fouled, then Grealish. It looked to fall for Barry, Tarkowski unable to head in Gana’s cross at the far post. Grealish worked hard but Beto immediately gave up the pass and Leeds were able to attack, with 7 minutes added on. Stach lashed a fierce shot that was close enough for Pickford to parry away.
More late chances for Leeds but they couldn’t get it on target, with Everton now struggling to respond. They tried to get forward in the dying minutes, Garner’s cross headed clear. Grealish tried to get something in from the left but only hit a defender. Beto and Barry weren’t really combining to any effect up front,
Keane had to foul Nmecha wide on Everton’s left for a late late free-kick chance. But they just wanted to play down the clock. And the whistle finally went to give Leeds an undeserved win.
Leeds Utd: Perri; Bogle, Rodon, Struijk, Gudmundsson; Ampadu (78′ Gruev), Tanaka (90+4′ Longstaff), Stach; James (78′ Harrison), Piroe (78′ Nmecha), Gnonto (67′ Aaronson).
Subs not Used: Darlow, Byram, Bornauw, Ramazani.
Everton: Pickford; O’Brien, Tarkowski, Keane; Gueye, Garner; Dewsbury-Hall, Alcaraz [Y:61′] (86′ Barry). Ndiaye, Iroegbunam [Y:56′] (71′ Grealish); Beto.
Subs not Used: Travers, Tyrer, McNeil, Chermiti, Coleman, Armstrong, Onyango.