DOMINIC CALVERT-LEWIN returned to torment David Moyes and the Everton side he turned his back on.
But he was still upstaged in the end by Thierno Barry after the Toffees got themselves out of a sticky situation.
Thierno Barry scored Everton’s leveller in the second halfCredit: Reuters
The young Frenchman often looked an agonised figure as he tried to come to terms with life in the Premier League as Calvert-Lewin’s replacement.
But the £27.6m striker is finally finding his feet, and his firing power – and claimed his fourth goal in six games to provide the equaliser.
The Toffees boss was desperate to keep the striker last summer for exactly the kind of aggression he showed as he helped Leeds United take another crucial step to safety.
Calvert-Lewin’s running constantly showed his former boss what might have been had he not decided to leave for Leeds as a free agent.
But Barry is now making himself a Blue hero – just as DCL has become under Daniel Farke.Everton looked up for it at the start, busy and running hard, backed by the return of Senegal pair Iliman Ndiaye and Idrissa Guye following their Afcon glory.
But it didn’t last for Farke’s side slowly but surely took total control and Pascal Struijk blazed a fine opportunity over with the home defence all over the place.
They simply couldn’t work out how to cope with Calvert-Lewin’s aggression and the cunning deployment of partner Brenden Aaronson who constantly found ways to trouble them.
No surprise, then, when Leeds took the lead in the 29th minute, with Aaronson running the game.
Ndiaye felt he was pushed off the ball on the half-way line but he still went down much too easily and Anton Stach dashed into the hole he left behind on Leeds’ left flank.
He delivered a decent cross meant for Aaronsen but the American, realising he had gone too far and to fast with his run, intelligently didn’t go for a Hollywood finish.
Instead he dummied for James Justin behind him, and he arrowed home his first Prem goal.
Calvert-Lewin smashed an effort onto the post and had it gone in that , surely, would have put the game to bed for Leeds.
Indeed they had no less than ten efforts on goal before the break and Moyes knew he had to act – replacing young midfielder Harrison Armstrong and winger Dwight McNeil with Keirnan Dewsbury-Hall and Jarrad Branthwaite.
The giant centre back, on his first appearance of the season after months of hip and groin problems, partnered James Tarkowski, Jake O’Brien moving to right back, Nathan Patterson operating further forward.
Ex- Chelsea attacker Dewsbury-Hall, fit after hamstring trouble, immediately added balance and more importantly threat from the middle.
Everton had lost eight of their last nine games when going behind first and they were badly missing the trickery of Jack Grealish, the £100m loanee expected to be out for three months with a stress fracture of the foot.
But after what was a total non-performance in the first half they pulled themselves together and a desperate block was needed to deny Ndiaye from close range.
Goalkeeper Karl Darlow pushed away a fine effort from Barry with the outside of his right boot but by the 76th minute the front man now finding self – belief was celebrating with another even better effort.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
I'm dedicated to creating high-quality content that informs, inspires, and delights. If you have any questions or suggestions, don't hesitate to get in touch. Happy reading!
