Everton vs Leeds United. Premier League.
Goodison ParkAttendance39,232.
Report and free match highlights as Everton secured a 1-0 victory over relegation rivals Leeds; Seamus Coleman's speculative strike was the difference between the two sides; result means Everton go above Leeds and move out of the drop zone; Everton are up to 16th; Leeds drop to 19th
Sunday 19 February 2023 07:34, UK
Seamus Coleman was the hero for Everton as his second-half goal secured a crucial 1-0 victory over Leeds and moved them out of the relegation zone.
In what was a nervy encounter at Goodison Park, Everton eventually broke the deadlock in the 64th minute with a somewhat speculative strike.
Coleman latched onto a forward pass from Alex Iwobi down the right and as he hooked what appeared to be an attempted cross into the middle, it found the net from the tightest of angles catching out goalkeeper Illan Meslier, who had left a huge gap at his near post.
It proved to be the only goal of the game as Sean Dyche's side held on for a deserved victory. The result moves up to 16th place, one point above the drop zone after taking six points from three games under new coach Dyche.
Everton are now two wins from two games at home with two clean sheets and Dyche, speaking after the game, wants his side to make Goodison Park a fortress.
"I've spoken to the group about consistency and keeping the values we work to - win, lose or draw," he said. "At Liverpool it wasn't a million miles off, two mistakes change the feel of a game. But today I was pleased with the mentality.
"We want to make this a tough place to come and we are doing that with two wins and two clean sheets. Home form is a big help, we want it to become a fortress. We're getting there but it takes time and belief.
"It's a one-game-at-a-time mentality, that's what I believe. The work starts again on Monday and I've assured them of that."
Meanwhile, managerless Leeds, who failed to land a single shot on target in the entire 90 minutes, slipped into the relegation zone after a 10th match without a win dropped them to 19th.
When asked what his message is to the players, Leeds caretaker manager Michael Skubala said: "Stick together. You're a good team and good players. We just need to work on a few things, and we will pull away [from the relegation zone]."
Ahead of kick-off there was a period of applause for Christian Atsu, who played 13 games for Everton in the 2014/15 season on loan from Chelsea, following news of the midfielder's death in Turkey in the earthquake.
Once the game got under way, with so much at stake for both sides down at the bottom of the table it was no surprise that it was a nervy start at Goodison Park.
However, it was Everton who started to boss the game, creating the better opportunities, but Amadou Onana leant back and blazed over after Iwobi had released Idrissa Gana Gueye to cut back a low cross.
Everton's best chances came from set-pieces and from a 33rd-minute corner Maximilian Wober hacked out Conor Coady's header from underneath the crossbar before Weston McKennie cleared Neal Maupay's rebound off the line.
James Tarkowski's header was then parried by Meslier from another Dwight McNeil corner with Onana also nodding over as the hosts made all the running until Leeds' Crysencio Summerville headed onto the roof of the net in first-half added time.
That came just after a 21-man melee sparked after Tyler Adams pushed McNeil into the hoardings, with the two protagonists, plus Abdoulaye Doucoure and McKennie, booked.
Wober was replaced by Rasmus Kristensen as Leeds moved Luke Ayling into the centre of defence for the second half but Everton continued to pose more threat with McNeil volleying wide in the early stages.
Patrick Bamford then failed to connect with Jack Harrison's cross as the Everton nerves began to build. However, it was left to Coleman to apply the decisive blow as Everton's revival under Dyche continued at Goodison Park.
Tim Sherwood on Soccer Saturday:
"Without question, Everton deserved to win this football match.
"It was a toothless performance Leeds, who flattered to deceive. They created very few chances with Jordan Pickford hardly having a save to make.
"But Everton deserved the three points.
"Sean Dyche has them very organised. Conor Coady and James Tarkowski are marshalling the defence extremely well with Idrissa Gueye in front of them.
"They get the ball wide and they get the ball into the box early. I bet Dominic Calvert-Lewin can't wait to get fit and I'm sure Dyche will be hoping he gets back to full fitness very quickly because if he was out there against Leeds, Everton would have won more comfortably.
"Dwight McNeil and Alex Iwobi put the ball into good areas time and time again but they just couldn't finish it off."
Everton boss Sean Dyche:
"I'm very pleased, I asked for maximum effort from the players and they've given me that today.
"We limited them - I think, I need to check - to not having a shot on target and it starts from the front players. Neal Maupay and the wide players put in shifts. But with the ball we were better too.
"Scoring goals in this industry takes freedom and there is tightness in the box. If you shoot and you miss. I'm not bothered - as long as you shoot. That freedom will grow with performances and confidence. We got the ball in good areas and could have scored more. But I'll take 1-0.
"I've spoken to the group about consistency and keeping the values we work to - win, lose or draw. At Liverpool it wasn't a million miles off, two mistakes change the feel of a game. But today I was pleased with the mentality.
"We want to make this a tough place to come and we are doing that with two wins and two clean sheets. Home form is a big help, we want it to become a fortress. We're getting there but it takes time and belief.
"It's a one-game-at-a-time mentality, that's what I believe. The work starts again on Monday and I've assured them of that."
Leeds caretaker manager Michael Skubala:
"I thought without the ball we did enough, without ball looked defensively strong.
"We knew it would be a second ball game, but we lacked a lot with the ball. I thought it would be a 1-0 game and it was.
"We needed to be better with the ball, create more chances and it's something we will go away and look at. We could have been braver and done more with the ball. They are good players; they need to be confident.
"For both teams it was about being strong in mentality, I don't think we lacked that, we stood up to the challenge. but we were caught out and the lads will go again."
On what his message is to the players: "Stick together. You're a good team and good players. We just need to work on a few things, and we will pull away [from the relegation zone]."
Since beating Chelsea 3-0 in August, Leeds have subsequently earned the fewest points of any side in the Premier League (12 from 20 matches).
Leeds have lost consecutive games in the Premier League against teams starting the day in the relegation zone, also losing against Leicester in their last such match in October - this is the first time they have done so since December 2003.
Everton have won each of their first two Premier League games at Goodison Park under Sean Dyche, having lost four in a row before he took over. They last won consecutive home games in April 2022.
Everton boss Sean Dyche has beaten Leeds first the first time in the Premier League, meaning he has now beaten all 31 teams he has managed against at least once. He is the sixth manager to face 5+ teams and beat them all, after Arsène Wenger (46), Alex Ferguson (44), José Mourinho (38), Brendan Rodgers (36) and Gordon Strachan (32).
Everton's next game is at home to Aston Villa on Saturday; kick-off 3pm. Sean Dyche's side then travel to Arsenal - who they beat 1-0 earlier this month - on Wednesday March 1; kick-off 7.45pm.
Leeds face another side struggling against relegation in their next outing, with Southampton travelling to Elland Road on Saturday; kick-off 3pm.
Leeds then take on Fulham at Craven Cottage in the FA Cup on Tuesday February 28; kick-off 7.45pm.
