Mason Holgate feels Everton beat Leeds United as Frank Lampard’s side could go toe-to-toe with Marcelo Bielsa’s ‘unique’ squad in man-to-man duels, he told the Liverpool Echo.
The Toffees defender believes the Whites pose a different sort of challenge than any other Premier League side. But he adds that the Blues won last week’s clash 3-0 as they matched United’s intensity, having anticipated the sort of style Bielsa would use at Goodison Park.
Seamus Coleman and Michael Keane hit home in the opening 23-minutes, before Anthony Gordon added a third in the second-half. Leeds’ bid to weather the Everton storm with a five-man defence simply failed to offer goalkeeper Illan Meslier the protection he needed.
Everton started their win over Leeds brightly but Luke Ayling managed to deny Gordon and tip the ball to Meslier. But the Toffees’ early break was only a precursor for the attacking display Lampard’s side would produce against Bielsa’s men.
Holgate claims Everton beat Bielsa’s ‘unique’ Leeds with their intensity
Lampard clearly sent Everton out to set the intensity against Leeds, which Holgate believes was key to winning. The centre-half also helped to establish the tone of proceedings with a few big tackles. And Holgate has now discussed the Blues’ blueprint to beating the Whites.
“The intensity of what we did,” Holgate claimed. “We knew Leeds go man-for-man and we matched them and did more than that. It’s a unique game when you play Leeds, it’s literally man-for-man the whole game. But we were ready for that and dealt with it well, I think.
“We stepped up and everybody won their personal battles and that’s what the game against Leeds is all about.”
Leeds losing Stuart Dallas to injury inside the opening half-hour did not help Bielsa against Holgate and Everton. But the Argentine’s displeasure with proceedings was clear when the United boss made two further substitutions at half-time in a frantic search for a solution.
Dallas could yet recover in time for Leeds’ derby clash with Manchester United on Sunday, though. Bielsa has stated, via Leeds Live, that the defender ‘hasn’t been discarded’ as yet.
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