Leeds United: 2 (Klich 41, Raphinha 72)

Everton: 2 (Calvert-Lewin pen 30, Gray 50)

Leeds: Meslier, Ayling, Cooper, Struijk, Firpo (Shackleton 60), Phillips, Dallas, Klich (Roberts 60), Raphinha, Harrison, Bamford.  Subs not used: Klaesson, Forshaw, Costa, Rodrigo, Cresswell, Drameh, Summerville.

Everton: Pickford, Keane, Coleman, Mina, Digne, Allan, Doucoure, Iwobi (Townsend 75), Gray (Delph 83), Richarlison, Calvert-Lewin (Kean 90).  Subs: Begovic, Kenny, Holgate, Gbamin, Davies, Branthwaite.

Booked: Cooper, Bamford (Leeds) Mina, Digne, Coleman, Doucoure (Everton)

Referee: Darren England

Venue: Elland Road

Attendance: 36,293 (2,843 away)

Following a minute’s applause to remember those lost since the Covid pandemic began in March 2020, the game got under way, with an electric atmosphere and a sea of scarves and flags at Elland Road.

England international Kalvin Phillips was recalled to the starting line-up, whilst new signing Junior Firpo was handed his first Premier League start.

It was the visitors who nearly broke the deadlock inside 20 seconds, with Abdoulaye Doucoure’s long range strike going just wide of Illan Meslier’s post.

Leeds’ first opportunity came through Patrick Bamford, who this week signed a new five-year-deal at the club, he was picked out in the Everton box with a low cross, but saw his strike well blocked.

Following his long-range goal at Old Trafford last week, Luke Ayling tried his luck again from range, seeing his strike deflect for a corner.  From the resulting set-piece, the ball was played out to Kalvin Phillips on the edge of the Everton box and his deflected effort was just inches away from finding the top corner.

Everton were awarded a penalty following a VAR check, with Liam Cooper pulling the shirt of Dominic Calvert-Lewin in the box, who went down under the challenge.  The Everton forward then stepped up to take the spot-kick and despite Illan Meslier going the right way, found the back of the net.

Leeds almost hit back within two minutes, Raphinha who scored the winner at Goodison Park last season, fired just wide from 25 yards.

Raphinha again tried his luck from range to no avail, but with four minutes of the first half remaining, Leeds did deservedly pull level.  Bamford broke forward and played Mateusz Klich in on goal and he slotted past Jordan Pickford in the Everton goal.

Doucoure tested Meslier from 25 yards, forcing the Frenchman into a good stop, as the two sides went in level at the break.

HALF TIME: LEEDS UNITED 1-1 EVERTON

The visitors regained the lead five minutes into the second half. Doucoure played Demarai Gray into the Leeds box and he managed to squeeze a strike into the bottom corner.

Moments later, Everton almost went further ahead.  Following some neat interchanges Gray found Calvert-Lewin in the Leeds box, but he couldn’t get the better of Meslier.

Leeds again had Meslier to thank in the 58^th minute, Iwobi this time slotted through Calvert-Lewin, but the Frenchman made another great stop.

The Whites pushed for an equaliser, winning a succession of corners, with Tyler Roberts’ strike from a narrow angle causing the most danger.

The pressure eventually paid off, following another set-piece, Cooper teed up Raphinha, who fired a lovely curling strike into the back of the net to put Leeds once again on level terms.

At the other end, Richarlison tried his luck from the edge of the Leeds box, firing narrowly wide.

Leeds then threatened to go ahead for the first time when Raphinha floated a free kick into the Everton box, with Cooper heading the chance wide.

Another Leeds free kick led to another opportunity.  Once more Raphinha delivered, with Pascal Strujk this time heading wide.

Seamus Coleman saw a shot saved by Meslier in the closing stages before Patrick Bamford found space in the Everton box but it came to no avail as the referee blew the final whistle, with the points shared between the two teams for our first game back at Elland Road.

FULL TIME: LEEDS UNITED 2-2 EVERTON