"We didn't" - James Justin's Leeds United point at Everton verdict with changes admission and 'mate' problem
Defender James Justin’s goal had Leeds United on course for all three points at Monday night’s hosts Everton.
Whites defender James Justin has made a declaration about Leeds United’s point at Everton with a changes admission and “mate” problem.
Full-back Justin’s second goal for the club and first in the Premier League had Daniel Farke’s Whites on course for all three points as part of a dominant first-half display by Leeds at Everton’s new Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Justin’s 28th-minute finish from an Anton Stach cross had Leeds 1-0 up at the interval but United squandered several other opportunities to give themselves a more commanding advantage at the break.
In the end, United paid the price for scoring just once as Everton finally got going as the second half progressed, the Toffees drawing level in the 76th minute through Thierno Barry and themselves then pushing for a winner.
Justin, though, despite admitting that his men didn’t make the most of their first-half chances, declared that Leeds would “take the point” against a well established Premier League side who Justin felt were transformed by two changes made at the break.
Toffees boss David Moyes took off Harrison Armstrong and Dwight McNeil to introduce centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite and attacking midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall - the latter a mate of Justin’s from the pair’s time together at Leicester City.
“They brought on my mate”
Justin admitted the introduction of Dewsbury-Hall in particular proved a problem for his side as part of a true game of two halves on Merseyside.
Speaking post match to Sky Sports, Justin was asked for his assessment of the game and reasoned: “I feel like we started the half pretty well, although in the first ten seconds they got a corner.
"But overall in the first half we played quite well and went a goal up and had a few chances to make it more but didn't take them.
“Then obviously they are a decent side and an established Premier League side so you know coming away to a place like this they are going to have their spells.
"Most of the second half we were defending and in the end we will take a point."
Pressed on what he thought was the biggest difference in the second half compared to the first half performance, Justin declared: “They brought on my mate! Kiernan.
"He was very good and he was finding space in the pockets. I thought they were occupying the ten slots really well and he made a big difference when he came on and obviously the centre half as well.
"They made a big difference. That's the quality they have and that's why they are an established Premier League side."