da spicy bet: Everton rounded out the weekend of Premier League football by picking up a point at home to relegation-threatened Leeds United. The Toffees could have moved up to seventh in the top flight with a win, but instead will have to settle for tenth at the end of the gameweek.
da betsson: It very much felt like a game of two halves, with the West Yorkshire outfit the better team in the first 45 minutes. They had ten shots and dominated the ball, opening the scoring in the 28th minute through James Justin, who ran onto a loose ball in the box and fired home past Jordan Pickford.
The Toffees needed a big reply in the second half, and almost had it just past the hour mark. Thierno Barry unleashed a wicked strike with the outside of his foot just inside the box, but Karl Darlow was able to tip his strike wide.
Everton, though, kept pushing. David Moyes’ side had 69% possession and six shots in that second half, which paid off when Barry equalised, darting across the box to fire home. It wasn’t momentum that the home side could capitalise on, though, and could only end up with a point.
For Barry, it was yet another night to remember.
Barry's excellent form continues vs. Leeds
After taking a few months to adapt to the Premier League, French striker Barry has well and truly arrived. He’s been on a sublime run of form in recent weeks, with five goals in his last nine games, broken down further to four in his last five.
The strike against Leeds must have been a pleasing one for Toffees fans to watch. The 23-year-old showed excellent instinct in the penalty box, getting in front of the defender and meeting Idrissa Gueye’s cross. His strike was well hit, flying into the roof of the net.
Indeed, the youngster had some impressive numbers to back up the goal he managed. He had 34 touches, making the most important one count. He also proved to be a real nuisance for the Leeds defenders, winning seven aerial duels.
Barry’s performance was certainly well rated by Liverpool Echo journalist Chris Beesley. He gave the striker a 7/10 for his efforts and described his strike as a “superb” piece of centre-forward play.
As well as Barry played, the same cannot be said for one of his Toffees teammates.
Everton's most disappointing player vs. Leeds
It was certainly a night to forget for Everton winger Dwight McNeil.
He kept his place in the side following Jack Grealish’s injury, but failed to make any sort of impact. The attacker was taken off at half-time, after a poor performance overall.
This was something Beesley picked up on. The journalist gave McNeil a 5/10 for his night’s work on Bramley Moore Dock, explaining that he ‘he worked hard for the cause’ but struggled because he overrelied on his left foot.
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Indeed, his numbers from the game do reflect what a lacklustre showing it was from the Toffees’ number seven. He had just 12 touches of the ball (33 fewer than Jordan Pickford), completing only six from eight passes and losing possession three times.
McNeil stats vs. Leeds
Stat
Number
Touches
12
Passes completed
6/8
Number of times ball lost
3
Shots
0
Crosses attempted
0
Chances created
0
Stats from Sofascore
It will be fascinating to see if the Englishman will keep his place in the Everton side or not. Moyes has options if he does decide to axe the winger, with Tyler Dibling the likeliest player to slot in on the wing.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall also came off the bench, replacing McNeil himself. Whilst the ex-Leicester City star operates in a more central role, perhaps the Everton boss can figure out a way of accommodating him.
There are certainly options if he does decide to drop McNeil from the side. After that performance, it is easy to see why he should not start again in an Everton shirt anytime soon.
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