Marcelo Bielsa praises Leeds United's 'very big effort'

Two sloppy concessions saw the Whites - chasing a third successive victory for the first time on their return to the top flight - trail 2-0 at the break with Gylfi Sigurdsson and Dominic Calvert-Lewin cashing in on poor defending.

But Leeds, buoyed by a strike early in the second half from the excellent Raphinha, dominated in a barnstorming second-half display, having earlier gone close in the first period when a brilliant volley from Gjanni Alioski rattled the post.

After Raphinha’s goal, United produced something akin to a second-half onslaught with stand-in Everton keeper Robin Olsen - deputising for the injured Jordan Pickford - making fine saves to deny Mateusz Klich, Raphinha and Jack Harrison after denying Pascal Struijk in the first period.

But they failed to claim a point on a night when they were eyeing a first season’s double over the Toffees since 1990-91.

Instead, it was the visitors who were celebrating after winning four successive league games away from home for the first time since December 1985.

Bielsa, whose side welcome Crystal Palace on Monday night, said: “I think the effort was very big. I think we did enough to draw the game and we could even have done enough to go on and win it.

“That is to say we had enough chances in the first and second half to draw the game.

“We managed to avoid the third and scored and got back into the game and had plenty of time to get back in it and try and win it.

“Our offensive game was enough for us to think or imagine that we could have scored three or four goals.”

On his side’s pivotal defensive mistakes, the Argentine added: “It is very common that when there is a flick on at the front post from a corner than someone is going to get on the end of it at the second post.

“Even though it is a frequent move, we could maybe have been intuitive and prevented it from happening.

“For the first goal, Sigurdsson found himself very alone in the box which is not very frequent.

“I think the analysis should include that our offensive game was better than our opponents.

“It is difficult to imagine facing the six players that Everton have apart from their defenders and not conceding any opportunities.

"It was a night when Leeds played on their relaid pitch, costing £300,000, for the first time with its playability being the subject of pre-match conjecture.

"In the event, a number of players lost their footing in the first period and appeared to have some difficulties in the opening half.

Bielsa commented: “I only saw my team slip and did not see the opponents slipping.

“We are very happy to be able to count on a pitch that is much better than in the last few games. It is impossible to make a reference as to why we slipped.”