Two years working with Bielsa have Leeds United producing 'total football' 

Marcelo Bielsa's team proved once again that they are one of the most entertaining - if wasteful - sides in the English top flight

Leeds United's Raphinha

Premier League: Everton 0 Leeds Utd 1

It could be argued that Leeds fans are suffering the most during lockdown from not being able to watch their team in the flesh.

Not only did they miss out on the run-in and subsequent jubilant celebrations of the Yorkshire club's long-awaited return to the Premier League after 16 years in June and July but they have also been unable to witness some of the most thrilling games so far this season.

Marcelo Bielsa's team proved once again during their first win at Everton since 1991 that they are one of the most entertaining - if wasteful - sides in the English top flight.

There may have been only one goal in their last two games - Saturday's narrow win following the goal-less home draw with Arsenal - but that does not do justice to the attacking intensity in the two fixtures and the big part Leeds played in them.

It is no surprise that Leeds have appeared in four of the top seven games with the most attempts on goal so far in this Premier League campaign.

There were 38 shots at Goodison - 23 by Leeds and 15 by Everton. Leeds had nine on target, Everton eight, and it was bewildering that the only goal of the game didn't arrive until the 79th minute, although the outstanding performances of the two goalkeepers, Jordan Pickford and Illan Meslier was a big reason for that.

Raphinha's 25-yard strike was the 35th attempt on goal and if there is a concern over Leeds it is simply that they have to be more efficient in front of goal. If they had a striker like Harry Kane or a fully fit Sergio Aguero you wonder just how many goals they would score.

But apart from their profligacy in front of goal, their intense 'total football' approach is a joy to watch with their players popping up all over the pitch, making deciphering Bielsa's formation almost an impossibility.

The former Argentina manager said simply: "We have attacking players who can defend and defending players who can attack."

Luke Ayling, one of the most impressive performers who played more like a right winger than a right back, said the Leeds players have bought into Bielsa's philosophy that demands tremendous fitness as well as technical quality.

"The movement comes from working with him for the last two years," he said. "We're in the third year of his reign now and I think we fully understand now what he wants us to do. I feel we are played some quality football, opened Everton up quite a few times and could have had a few more goals. It was a really really good performance."

Midfield anchor man Calvin Phillips is crucial to how Leeds operate and will have impressed watching Gareth Southgate with his assured performance that indicated he is more than capable of rivaling Jordan Henderson and Declan Rice for a place in the England team.

In a breathless, end-to-end game, the statistics show that Phillips ran the furthest - 12.12 kilometres - had the most touches (96), the most passes (84) and won possession the most times (11). Significantly, he was out injured when Leeds slipped to successive 4-1 defeats to Leicester and Crystal Palace.

The only surprise in the game was that it took so long for a goal to be scored but when it finally arrived it was a quality shot - Raphinha's first since his £17m move from Rennes in October.

The Brazilian received a pass from Jack Harrison 25 yards out, took advantage of Ben Godfrey's failure to close him down to fire past an unsighted Pickford into the bottom corner of the net.

Ayling said: "It was a class strike. He has been doing that in training since he arrived. He's been brilliant for us so far and I am pleased for him that he's got his first goal."

Everton were the surprise early pacesetters when they won their first four games but are in danger of slipping back into a more familiar mid-table position after their fourth defeat in their last five games.

They missed their two regular but injured full backs, Republic of Ireland international Seamus Coleman on the right and Lucas Digne on the left, but still had plenty of chances themselves and had two goals disallowed for offside - Leeds also had one ruled out.

Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti said: "We expected an really open game - it was a really open game - there were chances for both teams - and as the game went on I felt the team that scored first would win the game. The opportunities we had we could have been more clinical on the final pass or final shot.

"We played bad against Southampton and against Newcastle; today we didn't play bad but it was not enough to win. We competed and if we could have scored first we could have won. I still have confidence in the players but we need consistency."

EVERTON (3-4-3): Pickford 8; Godfrey 5, Holgate 6 (Bernard 82, 5), Keane 6; Davies 5 (Delph 60, 5), Allan 8, Dacoure 6, Iwobi 7 (Gomes 67, 6), Rodriguez 7, Richarlison 6, Calvert-Lewin 7.

Subs not used: Lossl, Sigurdsson, Mina, Tosun.

LEEDS UTD (4-1-4-1): Meslier 7; Ayling 8, Koch 7, Cooper 7, Alioski 7; Phillips 9; Raphinha 8 (Poveda 84, 6), Klich 7, Dallas 8, Harrison 7 (Costa 89); Bamford 7 (Rodrigo 90).

Subs not used: Casilla, Roberts, Struijk, Davis.

Referee: Chris Kavanagh.