Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti has hailed the performance of Gylfi Sigurdsson after he overshadowed Kalvin Phillips during Wednesday’s 2-1 victory in West Yorkshire, while speaking to the Toffees’ official website.
The Merseyside giants certainly rode their luck on the other side of the Pennines, surviving a late Leeds onslaught as goalkeeper Robin Olsen stepped up superbly in the injury-enforced absence of Jordan Pickford.
Despite Raphinha’s 48th-minute effort, Everton were good value for the three hard-earned points they took away from Elland Road; only their second victory away at the Whites in 38 attempts.
The resurgent Sigurdsson opened the scoring from a typically pinpoint Lucas Digne cross, before a classic Dominic Calvert-Lewin effort doubled the lead prior to the interval.
And Ancelotti was thrilled by the way his £45 million Iceland international restricted the influence of Leeds’ tempo-setting talisman after his early strike.
“This is what I ask from the players all the time,” said the Italian, who becomes the first Everton manager since the legendary Howard Kendall in 1985 to win four consecutive away league games.
“It was the plan we had for Sigurdsson, to have control defensively of Kalvin Phillips. He did really well and, offensively, supported Calvert-Lewin.”
The result means Everton bounced back from Saturday’s miserable home defeat to Newcastle in style, moving up to sixth in the Premier League table.
Win their two games in hand and the Toffees will go level with bitter rivals Liverpool in the top four.
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