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By @jonnychick__.
Leeds United suffered their first defeat in three matches as Everton walked away from Elland Road with maximum points.
First-half goals from Gylfi Sigurdsson and Dominic Calvert-Lewin secured the three points for the Toffees. Raphinha grabbed a goal shortly after half-time but despite a second-half onslaught from Leeds United, it wasn't enough on the night.
Marcelo Bielsa named just one change from the side that beat Leicester City last weekend as midfielder Mateusz Klich replaced the injured Rodrigo Moreno. Patrick Bamford and Raphinha were potential doubts heading into the game but they both made the starting eleven.
Everton were heading into Wednesday night's game on the back of a disappointing 2-0 defeat at home to out-of-form Newcastle United, so manager Carlo Ancelotti made three changes to his starting eleven. Michael Keane, Seamus Coleman, and James Rodriguez were all replaced by Ben Godfrey, Mason Holgate, and Andre Gomes.
It was the debut of a new £300,000 temporary pitch at Elland Road, and it seemed as though Leeds United were struggling to adapt to the new surface.
Everton looked dangerous on the counter-attack in the opening stages of the game and broke the deadlock after just nine minutes. After Richarlison won the ball back for the Toffees in midfield, Andre Gomes played the ball out to Luca Digne on the left-wing. He then delivered a low cross into the box to find an unmarked Gylfi Sigurdsson who had the easiest of finishes to give Everton the lead.
The momentum from the first goal evidently helped the away side as they created more attacks, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin's shot from outside the penalty area forcing a strong save from Illan Meslier.
Leeds created chances of their own and came incredibly close to finding an equalizer when Kalvin Phillips' corner was aimed perfectly at Alioski on the edge of the box. The North Macedonian decided to strike the ball first time on the volley but the post denied him a stunning goal.
Despite Leeds' best effort to get back on level terms, Everton managed to double their lead just before half-time as United's set-piece woes continue.
A teasing Gylfi Sigurdsson corner was flicked on by the head of Ben Godfery to an unmarked Dominic Calvert-Lewin at the far post who netted his first goal in seven games.
Half-time score: Leeds United 0-2 Everton
Leeds came out of the traps flying in the second half and got an immediate reward. Pinball was played in the penalty area until it kindly fell to Patrick Bamford who set up Raphinha to curl a left-footed shot into the bottom left-hand corner and pull a goal back for the hosts.
United piled on the pressure, with wave after wave of attacks but unfortunately for Bielsa's side, they couldn't find an end product. A bouncing shot from Mateusz Klich was saved by Olson who then denied Raphinha on the rebound with an excellent stop down low at his near post.
Leeds built another attack soon after when Jack Harrison's volley on the edge of the area was parried by Olson. The home side came close again when Patrick Bamford got on the end of Stuart Dallas' cross, but his looping header hit the top of the crossbar.
Everton should've wrapped the game up deep into the second half when Calvert-Lewin was slipped through one on one, but a fantastic save from Illan Meslier denied him his 13th goal of the season.
The hosts had one final chance in the dying seconds of the game but a first-time volley from substitute Tyler Roberts sailed way over the bar, and Everton managed to hold on and secure their first top-flight win at Elland Road since November 2002.
It's back to the drawing board for Marcelo Bielsa and Leeds United as they head into their next game, which sees them host Crystal Palace at Elland Road on Monday night.
Leeds will certainly be wanting to bounce back but they won't be feeling pressure anytime soon as they still sit in 11th place in the Premier League table on 29 points, 15 points above the relegation zone.
Full-time score: Leeds United 1-2 Everton
MATCH INFORMATION
Leeds United vs. Everton
English Premier League
19:30 Wednesday 3rd February 2021
Elland Road
Leeds United (4-1-4-1): Meslier (GK), Ayling, Struijk, Cooper, Alioski (Hernandez 78'), Phillips, Raphinha, Klich (Roberts 69'), Dallas, Harrison (Costa 87'), Bamford. Unused Substitutes: Casilla (GK), Cresswell, Davis, Jenkins, Shackleton, Huggins.
Everton (4-2-3-1): Olsen (GK), Holgate, Mina, Godfrey, Digne, Doucoure, Gomes, Iwobi (King 87'), Sigurdsson (Davies 89'), Richarlison (Keane 80'), Calvert-Lewin. Unused substitutes: Virginia (GK), Coleman, Nkounkou, Bernard, Delph, Rodriguez.
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