Leeds United 1 Everton 2: Toffees survive Whites' second-half onslaught in Elland Road thriller

LEEDS United fell to their tenth defeat of the Premier League season as goals from Gylfi Sigurdsson and Dominic Calvert-Lewin gave Everton a 2-1 triumph in another Elland Road thriller.
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Sigurdsson fired the Toffees into a ninth-minute lead when converting a Lucas Digne cross and Dominic Calvert-Lewin doubled Everton's advantage with a header from a corner four minutes before the break.

But Raphinha pulled a goal back for Leeds three minutes after the break and only a tremendous triple save from Robin Olsen denied the Whites an equaliser as part of an impressive attacking display in the second half.

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Leeds created a chance after just 30 seconds as Raphinha's effort from a tight angle was deflected behind for a corner.

SET PIECE WOES: Leeds United's players can only look on as Dominic Calvert-Lewin heads home Gylfi Sigurdsson's corner. Photo by Jon Super - Pool/Getty Images.SET PIECE WOES: Leeds United's players can only look on as Dominic Calvert-Lewin heads home Gylfi Sigurdsson's corner. Photo by Jon Super - Pool/Getty Images.
SET PIECE WOES: Leeds United's players can only look on as Dominic Calvert-Lewin heads home Gylfi Sigurdsson's corner. Photo by Jon Super - Pool/Getty Images.

But Everton took the lead in the ninth minute when a left flank cross from Digne caught the Whites defence napping and Sigurdsson steamed in to supply a simple finish.

The Toffees should have doubled their lead two minutes later but Calvert-Lewin's shot from the edge of the box was not firm enough to beat Illan Meslier who saved.

From a Luke Ayling cross, United no 9 Patrick Bamford sent a header over the bar on the stretch and only the post denied Gjanni Alioski from netting with a scorching 20-yard volley from a Raphinha corner.

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Bamford's shot on the turn soon after was saved by Everton 'keeper Olsen who then tipped a Pascal Struijk header from a Kalvin Phillips free-kick over the bar.

Back came Everton as Sigurdsson fired a shot straight at Meslier and Calvert-Lewin then curled an effort wide from a Toffees corner.

But the Toffees doubled their lead four minutes before the break as Calvert-Lewin flew in at the far post to head home Sigurdsson's corner after Ben Godfrey's flick on.

Whites head coach Marcelo Bielsa resisted any temptation to make any changes during the break and Leeds pulled a goal back three minutes after the restart through a neat finish from Raphinha following Bamford's lay off.

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United were then somehow denied an equaliser just after the hour as Olsen pulled off a tremendous triple save to deny both Mateusz Klich and Raphinha and the keeper even kept out Jack Harrison's fierce volley seconds later.

A Bamford header from a Dallas cross then clipped the top of the crossbar in the 72nd minute but Calvert-Lewin failed to beat Meslier from a one on one in the 86th minute.

After fine work from Tyler Roberts, Luke Ayling's powerful shot was then blocked in the 92nd minute but Everton somehow held firm to exact revenge for their 1-0 defeat to Leeds at Goodison Park in November as Roberts blasted the last Leeds chance over the bar.

Leeds United: Meslier, Alioski (Hernandez 78), Cooper, Struijk, Ayling, Phillips, Dallas, Raphinha, Harrison (Costa 87), Klich (Roberts 69), Bamford. Subs not used: Casilla, Cresswell, Davis, Shackleton, Jenkins, Huggins.

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Everton: Olsen, Holgate, Mina, Godfrey, Digne, Doucoure, Gomes, Sigurdsson (Davies 89), Iwobi (King 87), Richarlison (Keane 80), Calvert-Lewin. Subs not used: Virginia, Delph, Nkounkou, James, Bernard, Coleman.

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