Unable to maintain the furious pace of the first 45 minutes, the Toffees, understandably, sat off a little in the second half and focused on containing their opponents which they did with aplomb for long stretches.
Gordon tested Illan Meslier with a low shot and Iwobi curled an effort of his own just wide and Richarlison was denied by an excellent last-ditch block from Hjelder before Calvert-Lewin forced a one-handed stop from the goalkeeper as kept up their Everton's impetus into the break.Īgain Rodrigo might have set the home crowd on edge in first-half stoppage time when he rattled the bar a second time with a wicked shot but it remained 2-0 at the interval. Richarlison's determination won them a corner on the right that Gordon swung in beautifully and Keane battled his way to meet it with an unstoppable header.
Leeds had been swamped in the early going but Rodrigo almost had them level out of nowhere in the 18th minute when he thumped a dipping half-volley off Jordan Pickford'a crossbar from 30 yards out.įive minutes later, however, Everton doubled their lead. They didn't have to wait too much longer for the first goal, though, as Coleman initiated a fine passing move that saw Gordon touch a lovely pass inside two defenders for Van de Beek and when Calvert-Lewin couldn't quite divert the Dutchman's low cross home, the ball sat up invitingly for Coleman to crash it home with a lunging header on the goal line. With Goodison roaring them on, Everton began on the front foot and might have scored with barely two minutes gone when Gordon was played in by Calvert-Lewin but he delayed his shot a fraction too long and a gilt-edged chance went begging.
BLUE SLIDE PARK GAMES FULL
Donny van de Beek made his full debut in central midfield at the expense of André Gomes.
Having been denied the opportunity by injuries to use him off the bench at St James's Park, Lampard was able to name Dominic Calvert-Lewin in his starting XI for the first time and with Demarai Gray ruled out, Alex Iwobi was a surprise inclusion wide on the right while Jonjoe Kenny came in as an emergency left-back. The home fans had pledged to bring their banners, passion and their voices to be the catalyst for a much-needed victory after Tuesday's worrying defeat at Newcastle and Frank Lampard's team and they did in inspiring fashion, with the Blues responding superbly to run out convincing winners and keep their first clean sheet in 12 games.Ĭaptain Seamus Coleman led the way with a brave opener that typified Everton's spirit on the day as he headed home from close range, Michael Keane powered home a header from a corner and Richarlison's deflected effort in the second half off Anthony Gordon's heel before Salomon Rondon almost scored one of the goals of the season in stoppage time. Seamus Coleman led the way with a determined effort to score the first goal as Everton swamped Leeds and eased the immediate threat of dropping into the bottom threeĮverton beat back the impending panic of a relegation scrap with a brilliant, adrenaline-fuelled performance that blew away Leeds United's much-vaunted attack at an ebullient Goodison Park.
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