Everton 2-2 Leeds: Instant Reaction | End-to-end thriller

GAME SUMMARY

Everton had the first shot of the game with the Blues marching forward and Abdoulaye Doucoure hitting his effort wide after just 24 seconds. From that point on, expectedly, Leeds took over, to the tune of nearly 75% possession throughout the first half.

While both sides had chances early on. it was the Blues that took the lead through Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s workrate in the box. He had been just a yard late on a great cross into the box by Demarai Gray, but when Lucas Digne’s outswinging ball came close to him, he was tugged down by Liam Cooper. The referee initially allowed play to continue before being beckoned to the VAR monitor to review the call which was a clear penalty.

The Everton striker stepped up himself to take it, with a short run-up he hammered it into the left corner and despite Ilan Meslier diving the right way, the goalie really had no chance, and it was 1-0 Everton.

And then with the Blues looking to see out the half, Michael Keane was caught flat-footed on a ball to Patrick Bamdford, which allowed the striker to tee up Matheusz Klich slot home easily to tie the game.

Everton started the second half on fire and Abdoulaye Doucoure continued his stellar form from last weekend this time setting up Gray to fire into the far post very well, 2-1. DCL then had two chances to put the game beyond the hosts but both times Meslier saved well.

You just knew those misses would come back to haunt the Blues as a ball into the box was not dealt with well by the defence, and Raphinha at the fifth time of asking threaded a great shot into the far post with no chance for Pickford.

Both sides had chances late on but 2-2 was likely the most deserved score for this one.

QUICK OBSERVATIONS

Pickford’s distribution has been pretty horrendous to start this season. He wasn’t great last weekend, and was pretty poor today too.

Unfortunately, Michael Keane seems to have drifted from ‘Occasional Liability’ into ‘Regular Problem’ territory this season.

Yerry Mina and Ben Godfrey has to be the centrehalf pairing going forward, it’s not even close.

For all the goals Calvert-Lewin scores, he still has room for improvement on his finishing. Should have put this game out of sight today.

Doucoure - there are not enough superlatives to describe this box-to-box midfielder. Allan was pretty solid too again.

Demarai Gray is looking like an excellent buy for the peanuts we’ve paid for him. Full of direct running and immense quickness in tight spaces.