Everton 1 Leeds United 1: Inability to build on excellent first half costs Whites two points
For 45 minutes, Leeds United were excellent on their first visit to Bramley Moore Dock, dominating Everton tactically, winning the run of midfield and attacking with verve and energy.
But having got themselves in front through James Justin, they did not have the courage to take the final step. Pushed back by the much-improved hosts, a submissive second half forced them to settle for a point which is a good result for them against now-top-half opposition, but ought to have been a better one.
On paper, Leeds' team-sheet looked conservative with two midfield bodyguards in Ilia Gruev and Ethan Ampadu buit allowed Anton Stach and Duacell Bunny Brenden Aaronson to play in front of them, and Jayden Bogle to find plenty of space on the right.
It was only in the second half they slipped into safety-first mode – or rather were forced into it.
Everton won two corners inside the first four minutes, but it would prove a false dawn as Leeds quickly took control of midfield and with it the game.
Stach showed a bright mind in the eighth minute to stab a ball first time down the middle for Dominic Calvert-Lewin only for the former Evertonian to find himself squeezed out by Jordan Pickford coming off his line and defenders converging.
It took an excellent Nathan Patterson tackle in the penalty area to stop Aaronson having a shot on goal, but it was coming.
Bogle intercepted a pass meant for his old Sheffield United team-mate Iliman Ndiaye and put in a curling ball that deserved a finish but Aaronson – and others – did not anticipate it.
Gruev steered a shot over when a corner came out to him.
To see Bogle geting in Justin's way as he tried to shoot but for both wing-backs to be in the penalty area 19 minutes into an away game was a good sign. Justin was making light of Gabriel Gudmundsson's adductor injury.
Leeds got their reward on the half-hour and it as no surprise it came down the right. Bogle won the ball for Stach to square and Calvert-Lewin and Aaronson were clever and unselfish, the striker dragging men away from danger, the playmaker realising the shot was easier for Justin than for him, and leaving him to it. It ought to have been two,
Three minutes later Aaronson popped up at inside-right and found Bogle, whose cross invited a first-time shot from Calvert-Lewin, but he hit a post.
At half-time David Moyes brought on a third central defender, Jarrod Branthwaite and Everton's new 3-1-4-2 formation closed up a lot of the spaces Leeds had been enjoying.
It was hard for the Toffees to find a way through but they did it more often, Sebastiaan Bornauw having to come across to block Ndiaye's shot when Justin ran inside into trouble and allowed Idrissa Gana Gueye to feed the forward.
Karl Darlow had to make an excellent stretching save when Thierno Barry was played through in the 63rd minute.
In between time Strach had a shot saved, but it lacked the power to trouble Pickford.
Farke brought Ao Tanaka on to thread the passes Everton were managing to, but he was unable to do that, nor close down the spaces. Moyes responded by putting winger Tyler Dibling on at wing-back.
Leeds got pushed back into a five and a four, unable to break free and clung on like a tiring boxer on the ropes.
Everton got their dues in the 76th minute, Barry running across Bornauw to fire Gueye's low cross in from the far post. A couple of minutes later Gueye thumped a shot against the crossbar.
Leeds changed to a back four in the 85th minute and chances came at both ends, Noah Okafor picking out fellow substitute Sean Longstaff to blaze over in the 88th minute, Dibling's cross spinning off a defender to safety a minute later.
Longstaff's stoppage-time corner cleared everyone and when debutant Facundo Buonanotte's shot was blocked, Justin headed the corner wide.
Leeds had waited too late to grab what look like it should be theirs at the break.
Everton: Pickford; Patterson (Dibling 72), Tarkowski, O'Brien,Mykolenko; Gueye, Garner; McNeil (Dewsbury-Hall HT), Armstrong (Branthwaite HT), Ndiaye; Barry (Beto 89).
Unused substitutes: Travers, Alcaraz, Coleman, Aznou, Rohl.
Leeds United: Darlow; Rodon, Bornauw (Buonanotte 85), Struijk; Bogle, Ampadu, Gruev (Tanaka 66), Justin; Stach (Longstaff 85), Aaronson (Okafor 85); Calvert-Lewin.
Unused substitutes: Perri, Piroe, Nmecha, Byram, Gnonto.
Referee: S Hooper (Swindon)