Thierno Barry continued his strong scoring form with a second-half equaliser to earn Everton a 1-1 home draw against Leeds.
Barry, who scored just once in his first 18 league appearances, poked in a 76th-minute leveller for a fourth goal in five top-flight games.
Everton could not find a winner as Idrissa Gueye struck the bar just two minutes after Barry’s goal, with the Toffees’ winless home run extending to five games as they moved into the top half of the table.
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Thierno Barry levelled for Everton
Sixteenth-placed Leeds, meanwhile, are six points above the drop and remain with only one away league win this season.
It was a point for David Moyes’ side that had looked unlikely at half-time, as Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher said Everton had made Leeds “look like Real Madrid”.
James Justin had given the visitors a deserved 28th-minute lead, firing home from Anton Stach’s cross.
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Leeds took a well-deserved lead thanks to a goal from James Justin
Six minutes later, Dominic Calvert-Lewin nearly haunted Everton as he hit the post in his first game against them since joining Leeds in the summer on a free transfer.
Everton were booed off at half-time after they failed to have a shot on target, while Leeds had 10 attempts in the first half.
Moyes responded by making a double half-time substitution by bringing on Jarrad Branthwaite and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to match up Leeds’ three at the back – and it worked a treat.
The home side were jolted into life as Barry poked home from Gueye’s cross to prevent Leeds from claiming back-to-back league wins for the first time this season.
Moyes: Subs made the difference
Everton manager David Moyes speaking to Sky Sports:
“Really disappointed with how we played in the first half and generally how we set up didn’t really work as well as we’d have liked. The second half was much better. We stuck at it.
“It didn’t look like a goal was coming but we got one in the end and we were a bit unfortunate not to get a second one.”
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Idrissa Gueye smashed the bar for Everton at 1-1
On half-time changes: “I hoped we couldn’t play any worse than we had in the first half. Leeds were first to more balls, I didn’t think we competed well and it wasn’t like us. All round we lacked a bit of something that would make the difference.
“We’ve got a lot of players on the way back and none of them were fit to start. I’ve probably gone a bit early on Jarrad (Branthwaite) and Kiernan (Dewsbury-Hall) but we needed to try and do something and make a difference. Those players came on and did make a difference.”
On Thierno Barry’s form: “If you’re a centre-forward, you need to score goals and he hadn’t at the start. His play has got better. He’s getting more settled with us. His training is better. It isn’t always the answer but when you’re training well and getting used to things, you have a better chance of scoring goals.”
Farke: We should’ve buried the game in the first half
Leeds boss Daniel Farke speaking to Sky Sports:
“It’s a good result as a promoted side. To come to Everton, a tough place, especially once they’re on it in the second half. It’s definitely a good result.
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Leeds took a well-deserved lead thanks to a goal from James Justin
“It’s a bit disappointing as we weren’t far away from winning it. I think in the first half, it was an excellent performance. Very dominant, didn’t allow chances for them, and we should’ve scored the second goal.
“We should’ve buried the game in the first half.
“It was always clear that with the quality Everton were able to bring, they would show up at some point in this game.
“They had more possession in the second half, but the gut instinct is that we still controlled the game against the ball. Karl Darlow made one good save; they hit the crossbar, but apart from this, it was just the goal.
“Overall it was a good performance from the lads and a good point for us.”
Can Leeds cause Arsenal problems?
Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher on whether Leeds can beat Arsenal at Elland Road on Saturday:
“How many problems will Arsenal cause them? They [Arsenal] went to Everton, a similar sort of level team, and they won there 1-0.
“I think if Arsenal are going to go to Leeds and win, it might be by the odd goal. They aren’t going to score an abundance of goals. They rely on set-pieces.
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Dominic Calvert-Lewin hit the post against his former club
“I think through that fact, Leeds should stay in the game as long as they can, even if they’re 1-0 down. The atmosphere has helped them get so many big scalps. I think it will be a really tough game for Arsenal.
“I will expect them to win but only by the odd goal.”
Opta stats: Everton remain winless against newly-promoted sides
- Everton remain winless against newly promoted sides in the Premier League this season (D3 L1), though are unbeaten at home in their last six matches (W4 D2).
- No side has lost fewer Premier League games since the start of December than Leeds United (1), while only Aston Villa (22), Manchester City (21), Arsenal (20), Manchester United and Fulham (both 17) have collected more points in that time than their 15.
- Everton have now conceded nine goals via crosses in the Premier League this season; the joint-most in the competition this term along with West Ham United.
- After failing to score with any of his first 15 Premier League shots this season, Everton’s Thierno Barry has scored with five of his last 10 efforts on goal.
- Since the start of December, only Ollie Watkins (7), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (7) and Erling Haaland (6) have scored more Premier League goals than Thierno Barry (5).
