Everton needed to leave Elland Road with a point or with three, and with a positive performance to set the tone ahead of their first full season under David Moyes in his second stint as manager.
But Leeds United made it a winning return to the Premier League with a contentious late penalty from debutant Lukas Nmecha, leaving Moyes hot under the collar as his side built back from an abject opening 45 minutes.
For the second season running, the Toffees have started the campaign with Jarrad Branthwaite on the sidelines, and his brawn and bustle was certainly missed as the Whites sent their opponents packing 1-0.
Everton miss Branthwaite at Elland Road
Everton are considerably better when Branthwaite is in the starting line-up. The England international is powerful and commanding and a seamless partner alongside James Tarkowski, but a hamstring injury ruled him out and might keep him in the infirmary for several more weeks.
Especially in the opening half, Everton were well and truly under the cosh, and Branthwaite would have made a big difference.
There were encouraging signs. Everton’s fluency will improve throughout the season, and they still produced a combative performance against Leeds, winning 51% of the match duels and winning 81% of their tackles, whereas Leeds only won 53% of theirs.
Keane put in a solid display, all in all, and has enough to deputise when called upon.
However, Jake O’Brien flattered to deceive, and though he’s dependable, the Republic of Ireland international showed exactly why they need to spend before the end of the month.
Jake O'Brien showed why Everton need to spend
Sean Dyche’s Everton signed O’Brien from Lyon for £17m last summer, but it was only under Moyes’ wing that he took flight, starting 17 of the 19 league fixtures after the Scotsman took charge.
He did very well, and with Ashley Young having left at the end of his contract and Nathan Patterson injured once again, it looks like the right-back berth is his once again, unless The Friedkin Group complete a signing in the final few weeks of the transfer window.
A solid defender, the 24-year-old is tenacious and composed but struggles to add to the offensive charge, something that was underscored by his involvement against Leeds on Monday evening.
Minutes played
90′
Goals
0
Assists
0
Distance covered
10.7km
Touches
60
Accurate passes
12/27 (44%)
Key passes
0
Possession lost
27x
Dribbles
0/3
Tackles
2
Clearances
2
Duels won
7/14
He only completed one of his eight attempted long passes and failed to complete a key pass, losing the ball 27 times in trying to add some attacking impetus.
Everton have been linked with Manchester City’s Rico Lewis in recent days, clearly focused on adding a new dimension. It’s clearly needed after the display at Elland Road, even if The Liverpool Echo handed O’Brien a 6/10 match score, acknowledging that he kept Wilfried Gnonto rather quiet.
But he was the weak link in a backline that found itself breached through Tarkowski’s adjudged handball, proving to be even worse than Keane, who kept moving out into the middle of the park and threatening the balance of Moyes’ outfit.
The thing is, O’Brien is a robust athlete and a stern defender, and he’s done a fantastic job since Moyes’ appointment in covering at right-back, but it would be an egregious error on TFG’s part not to sign an upgrade, someone who can naturally play on the right side of defence.
WhoScored recorded that Leeds registered more xG (2.28) than any other team in the Premier League across the opening matchweek.
Expected Goals (xG) is a metric designed to measure the probability of a shot resulting in a goal.
If that’s not a stark illustration of the need for defenders, players such as a new right-back, then what is?
O’Brien’s a good player, but at times Everton will need a different type of full-back to progress play and add lanes to the attacking flow. Leeds exposed that fact on their return to the big stage.
