Thierno Barry’s debut season in English football must have tested the patience of David Moyes at times but the Everton manager’s perseverance is being rewarded. The £27m summer signing from Villarreal struck his fourth goal in five Premier League games as Everton turned the tide on Leeds. A point apiece reflected a dominant half apiece, though both managers felt they could have had more.
Having failed to score in his first 16 appearances for Everton, or from his first 15 attempts on goal, Barry made it five goals in his last 10 attempts with a superb finish to puncture a fine away display by Leeds. Daniel Farke’s visitors, under pressure following weekend wins for relegation rivals Nottingham Forest and West Ham, were vastly superior in the first half and deservedly led through James Justin.
Moyes’ half-time changes – in personnel and formation – sparked a huge and necessary improvement from the hosts but Leeds goalkeeper Karl Darlow had not been seriously tested until Barry took centre stage.
“I’m really pleased for Thierno,” the Everton manager said. “There are a lot of strikers in the Premier League who cost a lot of money and it has not been easy for them either. He is a young French under-21 international who is finding his way and just beginning to get settled in. He’s getting used to the whole club, the intensity of the league and while we’ve not been creating as many chances recently he’s getting a few goals. His goal was textbook.”
Everton marked the recent death of Tommy Wright with a period of applause before kick off. Wright, considered one of the club’s finest full-backs, won the FA Cup with his boyhood team in 1966, the league championship in 1970 and also represented England at the World Cup in Mexico that year.
Leeds made by far the stronger start, however, with the movement of Farke’s midfield five and Brenden Aaronson constantly dragging Everton out of shape. Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who received applause and some half-hearted boos when facing his former club for the first time since leaving on a free transfer, had an early chance saved by Jordan Pickford while Jayden Bogle and Ilia Gruev also threatened.
The visitors’ eventual lead came as no surprise. Leeds carved open Everton with a flowing move down their right in which Iliman Ndiaye, James Garner and Vitalii Mykolenko all came off second best in the challenge. Anton Stach swept in a low cross that evaded both Calvert-Lewin and the covering James Tarkowski but rolled perfectly for Justin as he arrived at the back post. With Aaronson sensibly getting out of the wing-back’s way, Justin placed a clinical finish beyond the exposed Pickford.
Calvert-Lewin was centimetres away from doubling the visitors’ advantage moments later. The opportunity came from another Leeds move down the right with Aaronson finding Bogle, who crossed towards the near post. The former Everton striker connected well with an awkward delivery but his attempt cannoned off a post from close range.
Moyes had no option but to make changes for the second half. Jarrad Branthwaite was introduced for his first appearance of an injury-plagued season while Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall also returned from injury as the Everton manager matched Farke’s 3-5-2 formation. The anonymous Dwight McNeil and Harrison Armstrong made way.
Moyes’ switches had the effect he desired with Everton enjoying far more possession and finally troubling Leeds. The previously unemployed Darlow came to Leeds’ rescue when tipping away an improvised effort from Barry, who attempted to curl a shot inside the far corner with the outside of his foot. It was an excellent save by the Leeds keeper but he was powerless to prevent Barry equalising with his – and Everton’s – second shot on target.
The second half turned into a role reversal of the first and the home side’s constant probing earned its reward when Dewsbury-Hall released Idrissa Gueye. The midfielder played a low cross to the near post where Barry stole in ahead of Sebastiaan Bornauw to flick a superb finish into the roof of Darlow’s net.
In another repeat of the first half, Everton struck the woodwork moments after scoring when Gueye hit the crossbar from the edge of the area. Moyes made another positive substitution when replacing Nathan Patterson with Tyler Dibling, who could have clinched victory late on but opted to cross when he should have shot for the far corner.
Farke reflected: “It is a really good point for us on the road. We were outstanding in the first half, it was one of our best performances, and we should have scored a second when Dom hit the post. It was obvious Everton would eventually show up but we didn’t allow them many chances. We have to respect it’s tough at their place so we take the point and move on.”
