Frank Lampard has galvanised Goodison Park. For the second Saturday in succession the club’s new manager celebrated a resounding home win with a clenched-fist salute in front of a jubilant Gwladys Street end.
For only the second time in five punishing months, Everton savoured the release of victory in the Premier League. Three games into his reign and Lampard has already witnessed the extremes of this Everton team. Error-prone in defeat at Newcastle on Tuesday, here their intensity, discipline and creativity could not be faulted as Leeds were handed a comprehensive beating. Séamus Coleman and Michael Keane polished a superb first-half display with headed goals. Anthony Gordon, steering Richarlison’s shot into the bottom corner late on, capped another impressive individual performance to seal Lampard’s first league win as Everton manager. His team had 21 attempts on goal and 10 on target – the first time Everton have hit those figures in a Premier League game since 2013. Marcelo Bielsa’s side were dominated throughout and, despite flashes of inspiration from Rodrigo, rarely threatened to repeat their stirring recovery at Aston Villa in midweek.
“From minute one against a fantastic team we never allowed them anything,” said a delighted Lampard. “Our effort, workrate, compact shape, the quality of our play and the chances we created was excellent. I really enjoyed seeing my team playing like that. It was everything I wanted.”
Lampard’s commitment to attack was evident from the outset but this was an impressive demonstration of his wider managerial skills. He was without seven first-team players, including two leading central defenders and the club’s only recognised left-back in Vitalii Mykolenko. He responded by abandoning his early 3-4-3 system and handing Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Donny van de Beek, Jonjoe Kenny and Alex Iwobi their first starts of his reign. All four shone in a fine collective performance.
Kenny provided an attacking threat as a makeshift left-back and nullified Raphinha to such an extent that the Leeds forward was withdrawn at half-time. The fit-again Calvert-Lewin led the line with power, aggression and a graceful touch. The on-loan signing Van de Beek brought vision and calm authority to central midfield, igniting a much-improved display from Allan alongside him in the process, while the often-maligned Iwobi was a potent threat on the right wing.
Bielsa’s more defensive approach, reverting to a five-man rearguard, brought little protection as Everton hunted in packs, chased lost causes and played with relentless intensity. Leeds were not helped by the early loss of Stuart Dallas to injury but Bielsa’s decision to make two further substitutions at half-time reflected the paucity of his team’s contribution.
“We found it very difficult to defend against them and it was a fair result,” he said. “I put [Mateusz] Klich in front of a back three but his position was an error on my part.”
Gordon had a great chance to open the scoring after 65 seconds when Allan seized on a poor clearance and Calvert-Lewin released the young winger inside the area. Luke Ayling just did enough to take the sting out of Gordon’s shot with only Illan Meslier to beat.
The home side remained on the front foot and a flowing move involving Coleman, Gordon and Van de Beek brought a merited early lead. The Netherlands midfielder swept an inviting cross along the face of goal towards Calvert-Lewin and, though Pascal Struijk did well to deny him a certain tap-in, his challenge sent the ball looping towards the far post. Having continued his run into the area and reacted quicker than Klich to the opportunity, Coleman converted with a diving header.
Everton’s second epitomised their considerable effort. Richarlison won a corner out of nothing when charging down Robin Koch near the byline. Gordon curled a delightful ball to the far post where Keane emerged from a well-worked routine to thump an unstoppable header beyond the Leeds goalkeeper.
Despite being second best in every department and frequently over-run, Leeds had chances to prey on Everton’s brittle confidence with Rodrigo twice smacking the crossbar from distance. The changes sparked necessary improvement in the second half without seriously threatening to spoil Jordan Pickford’s first clean sheet since November. A bottle thrown from the away end towards Coleman, thankfully missing its intended target, was another sour note on Leeds’ afternoon.
Gordon wrapped up victory when steering Richarlison’s fine effort into the bottom corner before Meslier produced a superb save to prevent Salomón Rondón from volleying home an immaculate cross from fellow substitute Dele Alli. Everton were transformed. Now they must maintain this standard.
