Leeds United continued their impressive start to the year with a point against Everton on Monday night. Daniel Farke’s men continue their run since the start of December.
The Whites are slowly distancing themselves from the relegation zone, but the games are coming quick and fast. West Ham sprung a surprise last weekend and have now cut the gap to six points between themselves and Leeds. And with other relegation rivals adding reinforcements in the January window, it sets the scene for a very interesting run to the end of the season.
Adam Pope gives verdict on Leeds United result
Monday night’s result should have gone the way of the visitors off how they played on the night. They earned high praise from Michael Owen and Jamie Carragher, but could not deliver the three points. Adam Pope blamed Leeds for letting the result slip from their hands:
“Regardless of all the results at the weekend, which didn’t go Leeds’ way, you’re still thinking, against a better Everton side, reinforced with a couple of AFCON winners, Leeds the form side, you’re thinking, this could be a draw.” he said on the Don’t Go to Bed yet podcast.
“It turned out that way result-wise, however, the ascendancy at half-time, you’ve got to feel that Leeds didn’t have to do too much better than what they did in the second half to hang on really, and in the end they were hanging on to just a point when really it could have easily been three.
“In the end, the way the game worked out, Dewsbury-Hall, I think, was a big difference for Everton in the second half, ran the show, and you have to say that goal was coming.
“If you’re going to point the finger a little bit, subs slightly late from Leeds were they, five minutes or so.
“Because at the end they rallied and Buonanotte was a block away from maybe winning the game with a shot, couple of corners, overall, fair outcome… there’s an element of feeling that they let it slip.”
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Finishing needs to improve in the team
Too many times this season Leeds United have had control of a game but yet found themselves on the other end of the result. Early in the season, it happened multiple times, including a shock defeat to Burnley at Turf Moor. Farke’s men are able to play some very decent football, but whenever they get near the goal, there are problems.
| Statistic | |
|---|---|
| Goals | 1 |
| Expected Goals (xG) | 1.23 |
| Big Chances | 3 |
| Total Shots | 14 |
Against Everton, it was the same thing – the first hour was all Leeds. But then David Moyes made some changes to get back into the game, and they capitalized. The game would have been out of reach if Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored a big chance, but he fluffed his lines.
