If taking over from Marcelo Bielsa seemed the most thankless task at Elland Road, replacing Raphinha was not far behind. The Brazilian may have been the most gifted footballer to play for Leeds since the generation who reached the 2001 Champions League semi-finals. Luis Sinisterra was charged with succeeding Barcelona’s £50 million buy and his first Premier League goal extended Leeds’ fine start to the season.
Even as his team missed the opportunity to break into the top four, Bielsa’s successor Jesse Marsch offered more evidence his overhaul will bear fruit. The chance to become the first Leeds side since Don Revie’s eventual champions of 1973-74 to win their first three top-flight home games of a campaign was eschewed but the Colombian’s strike brought echoes of Raphinha. Sinisterra looked the right man for the job.
And yet this was a tale of two goalscoring wingers and two summer transfer targets. Sinisterra has moved but Anthony Gordon, so far, has stayed.
Everton could be grateful for that.
Their third successive 1-1 draw was the second to feature a Gordon goal. But, on an evening when they contributed much, they could nevertheless rue the loss of the lead on the road for the second time in four days. This is their longest winless start to a season in 12 years and, with Liverpool next, the wait may go on.
