The Everton verdict after a much better showing in the second half earned the Blues a point from a 1-1 draw with Leeds
23:03, 26 Jan 2026Updated 23:05, 26 Jan 2026
Jarrad Branthwaite played his first Premier League minutes of the season against Leeds(Image: )
Everton missed another opportunity to boost their hopes of European qualification in a tale of two halves that provided a snapshot of their season.
The Blues once again struggled to make home advantage count at their new stadium and were booed off as they trailed at half-time to Leeds United side that simply overpowered them. But an overhaul of personnel and tactics by David Moyes completely changed this match at half-time and another Thierno Barry strike almost paved the way for what would have been a valuable comeback win.
That was not to be but the Blues boss will take heart from the return of a host of key players, including Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Jarrad Branthwaite from long-term injury. The filling out of his long-depleted squad must now represent a turning point, at home at least, if he is to achieve his goal of leading the club back into Europe this season.
A disappointing first half highlighted the weaknesses that will threaten to undermine that effort unless they are dealt with in the final days of the transfer window. After a positive opening 10 minutes, Everton collapsed within themselves as the pressure of home expectations appeared to get to them once more.
OPINION
Chris Beesley
Dominic Calvert-Lewin bullied Jake O’Brien – something no forward had done to the centre back when he had played in his favoured role in the Premier League. In five league games in that position for Everton, his side had won every game and not conceded. From the early minutes his former teammate made clear he would have a fight to extend that record – one that was ended just before the half hour mark.
When Anton Stach found space down the right, Calvert-Lewin was unable to meet his low cross while under pressure from the sliding James Tarkowski but James Justin met the ball at the back post and steered past Jordan Pickford to the joy of a packed away end. Minutes later Calvert-Lewin almost ended this contest when his effort cannoned back off the post after Leeds found more joy down Everton’s left, where Vitalii Mykolenko was overwhelmed by Stach and the attacking endeavours of full-back Jayden Bogle.
There would have been times as recently as this summer when Calvert-Lewin dreamt of his name echoing around this new stadium and he played out that fantasy for much of the first half, albeit as an away player after talks over a new deal in the summer never looked close to reaching agreement.
Yet for all the fun he was having it was the full-backs that highlighted Everton’s deficiencies. Minutes after Justin’s goal the left back, who was offered to Everton in the summer, forced Pickford into another save as Leeds had 10 unanswered shots in a row, several created by Bogle on the opposite side.
In stark contrast, Mykolenko struggled in both directions, while Nathan Patterson and Dwight McNeil failed to form an effective partnership on the right, though Patterson made several crucial interceptions to help his side stay afloat. It is difficult to see how Everton make the progress to European qualification challengers without more threat from full back, a point hammered home by the first half menace of Justin and Bogle.
Everton required open heart surgery at the break and Moyes did not hesitate. Dewsbury-Hall and Branthwaite, both on the bench after long injuries, were introduced for Dwight McNeil and Harrison Armstrong and Everton moved to three at the back. The changes had an immediate effect on the game, which quickly transformed as Everton grew in confidence as they forced Leeds back and the likes of Dewsbury-Hall and Garner knitted play together and found Iliman Ndiaye who, like Idrissa Gueye, came straight back in after their Africa Cup of Nations success with Senegal.
Everton dominated the ball and started to create chances, the best when Thierno Barry forced Karl Darlow into a sprawling save with an audacious effort from the outside of his right boot. All of a sudden, Calvert-Lewin was the forward being crowded out and Barry was the one causing problems. He and Everton got their reward in the 76th minute when Barry got across Sebastiaan Bornauw and produced his second clever finish in a week as he provided another glimpse that he is finding his feet in Royal Blue. That is now five goals in 10 league games and this was a strike that ensured this match did not end in a storm of regret over Calvert-Lewin’s departure.
Everton had had 71% of possession and six shots to Leeds’ one in the second half when substitute Tyler Dibling laid the ball back to Gueye, whose effort thundered off the bar. It felt as though a winner would come but it did not and the Blues had to settle for a point that was the result of a good fightback but represents another missed opportunity to surge up the table and to the cusp of the top five.
The Blues will not be able to miss many more chances if they are to make this a compelling season to the end and this was another frustrating night at home and another game where the side’s limitations were exposed. Yet the return of Gueye, Ndiaye, Branthwaite, Dewsbury-Hall and Carlos Alcaraz, who was also on the bench after injury, should galvanise a side that had been bereft of options over Christmas and new year. What might be possible this season remains unclear but there is far more potential now those key players are back in the fold.