Carlo Ancelotti hails the return of Everton's fighting spirit in Leeds victory
Gylfi Sigurdsson and Dominic Calvert-Lewin seal Everton's second Premier League win at Elland Road and fifth top-flight win in 50 visits to Leeds; Marcelo Bielsa felt Leeds created enough chances to avoid defeat before allaying fears over freshly-laid pitch at Elland Road
Thursday 4 February 2021 06:10, UK
Carlo Ancelotti welcomed the return of Everton's fighting spirit as they bounced back from their abject defeat against Newcastle with a resilient victory at Leeds.
First-half goals from Gylfi Sigurdsson and Dominic Calvert-Lewin laid the foundations for the rare win at Leeds - Everton's fifth in 50 top-flight visits to Elland Road - before a dogged defensive display and inspired goalkeeping performance from Robin Olsen got the Toffees over the line.
"After the defeat to Newcastle we needed this kind of performance," Ancelotti said after Everton secured a fourth consecutive away top-flight win for the first time since 1985.
"We played a good first half and in the second there were more problems to defend because was conceded early. But the reaction of the team, the concentration all game was very good.
"After the Newcastle game I said simply that we lost the fighting spirit at home, we thought our quality would win the game, but it wasn't enough. In this game the spirit we normally have was back."
On yet another away victory for Everton, Ancelotti added: "This is the result of this season, all the teams have more possibility to win away because there is no crowd.
"We've had a fantastic away run and, of course, we have to be more focused at home because we have lost too many games at home."
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Calvert-Lewin's strike proved decisive in the end and saw the England international ended a seven-game goal drought with his 16th goal of the campaign.
Ancelotti was pleased to see the striker rekindle his touch in front of goal but was more impressed with the efforts Calvert-Lewin, his attacking team-mates and goalkeeper Olsen contributed to the defensive effort.
"The work he did was more important, we needed this kind of work defensively from our strikers," the Italian said.
"They [the forwards] scored two fantastic goals and I am pleased with this, but I'm pleased more with the work they did defensively.
"Olsen made super saves; we knew that it would be difficult. We won the game because we defended well, and Olsen had a big part in this game."
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Olsen impressed while deputising for the injured Jordan Pickford but his performance may not be enough to keep his place in the starting line-up, with Ancelotti hopeful of having his No.1 back in time for Saturday's trip to Manchester United - live on Sky Sports Premier League.
"We have to look [at Pickford] over the next two days," the Everton boss added. "I hope he can train and be ready for Saturday."
Bielsa: We did enough for a point
Leeds head coach Marcelo Bielsa felt his side created more than enough chances and did not deserve to lose the game.
Ezgjan Alioski's volley direct from Raphinha's first-half corner hit a post and Patrick Bamford's second-half header looped on to the crossbar.
"I think we did enough to draw the game and even then we could have won it," Bielsa said. "That's to say we had enough chances in the first half and the second half to draw the game.
"We managed to avoid the third goal and we scored and got back into the game, and we had plenty of time to try and win it."
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Players from both sides struggled to keep their feet at times on an Elland Road playing surface that was relaid after their home defeat to Brighton 18 days ago.
"I only saw my team slipping, I didn't see the opponents slipping," Bielsa added. "But we're very happy to count on a pitch that is much better than the last few games. It's impossible to say why we kept slipping."
