Everton banished a limp defeat to Newcastle with a 2-1 victory over Leeds.
Gylfi Sigurdsson’s early strike helped the Blues set the tone as the Iceland international met a gem of a Lucas Digne cross to tap home from close range.
Shortly before half-time, the poacher turned provider as Sigurdsson’s corner allowed Dominic Calvert-Lewin to net his first league goal since December 5.
The hosts halved the deficit early in the second half with a cool finish from Raphina but Everton held on resiliently to seal a fourth straight away win.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side have now moved back up to sixth place in the Premier League table ahead of their trip to Manchester United on Saturday evening.
Here were the key talking points from Elland Road:
Sigurdsson belongs further forward
Often a lightning rod for Evertonian criticism, it is fair to say that Gylfi Sigurdsson isn’t exactly a fan favourite at Goodison Park nowadays.
His performance in last weekend’s loss to Newcastle drew a particularly heavy amount of grief after he proved totally ineffective as a deep-lying midfielder.
Yet any regular observers of the Icelander or his team will know that he is totally ill-suited to that role, and offers far more when played further forward.
And so it proved at Elland Road, as Sigurdsson emerged as Everton’s most advanced player before converting a trademark cross from Lucas Digne.
Ben Godfrey’s flick-on means the assist for Dominic Calvert-Lewin will elude Sigurdsson but his corner kick in the build-up was another feather in his cap.
At 31, he doesn’t have the legs or the skill set to suit a deeper role – he needs to be constantly on the edge of the action, as he was for much of this encounter.
Goodison needs to mirror away form
Chronic bouts of homesickness still plague Everton in the Premier League.
They have generally been strong at Goodison but failed to record more than six away league victories since their eight in 2013/14 under Roberto Martinez.
But this most unusual of seasons, that’s been turned on its head – this was Everton’s fourth away win on the bounce, and their seventh in ten games.
Carlo Ancelotti now holds the distinction of 11 Everton away league victories; more than Ronald Koeman and Marco Silva combined in 30 fewer games.
The last time they won that many on the road was in December 1985, midway through a title defence and 18 months away from claiming another
For Everton to achieve similarly tangible success, they need to play with as much of a purpose at Goodison as they have done away from it this season.
Otherwise, all the hard work put in on nights like this risk being for nothing.
Home comforts key for Digne
Given how well Godfrey deputised at left-back in his absence, it’s been difficult to know what to do with Lucas Digne since his recent injury return.
At Elland Road, though, the France international appeared back to his best in a natural habitat, helping him claim a sixth assist in 12 top-flight games.
Andre Gomes’ delicious long ball fell right into his path to deliver a wicked cross on a plate for Sigurdsson, despite Raphinha marking him tightly.
Like the goal scorer, Digne has been tried in various positions of late, and was back at left-wing for the last ten minutes, but this reaffirmed where he works best.
A vital late tackle on Raphinha and clearance, which required treatment, offered a reminder of the former Barcelona man’s prowess at the back, too.
Defending manfully and making those marauding overlapping runs is Digne’s forte, and nowhere will he perform those roles better than at left-back.
King’s impact already being felt
Given the roller-coaster nature of his deadline day signing, Joshua King’s Everton debut in the 84th minute was a comparatively low-key affair.
But perhaps his impact off the pitch is already more telling than that cameo with Calvert-Lewin breaking his seven-game Premier League goal drought.
The arrival of Roma goalkeeper Robin Olsen – also outstanding here – earlier in the season coincided with a general upturn in Jordan Pickford’s form.
Hopefully, the stronger competition King provides will spur on others in the front line like Richarlison, who was a little more involved if hardly stunning.
There was little fanfare around his signing, but equally little risk, with Everton paying a nominal fee for an initial contract until the end of the season.
If the Norwegian scores goals or triggers an improvement in his teammates that secures a European place, then the end surely justifies the means.
That Ancelotti has an extra option in King, a proven Premier League scorer, and saw a reinvigorated Calvert-Lewin, should be great cause for optimism.