Everton made a lightning start to their Premier League game at Leeds United on Wednesday, hitting the front through Gylfi Sigurdsson's close-range finish and doubling their advantage before half-time courtesy of Dominic Calvert-Lewin's stooping header.

The home side scored soon after the break to lay the platform for a second half when both sides fought tooth and nail to come out on top.

Carlo Ancelotti's side ultimately prevailed and, here, evertonfc.com identifies some of the things we learned from a tremendously absorbing match under wet West Yorkshire skies.

Immaculate Godfrey The Middle Man

Carlo Ancelotti declared himself “really surprised” by the performances of Ben Godfrey since the defender signed from Norwich City four months ago.

Indeed, Godfrey admits he didn’t expect to adapt so expertly to the left-back position he filled for seven straight Premier League matches before sitting out at the weekend.

Centre-half is his strongest suit and he finally got to play in the middle of a conventional back four at Elland Road on Wednesday.

How Godfrey took his chance.

It is very early days but there appear to be no holes in the game of a 23-year-old who is strong and quick and courageous and very good with the ball at his feet.

Godfrey confidently stepped forward from defence, most notably just before the half-hour.

He did very well in the first instance, on the front foot to beat Patrick Bamford to the ball on the fringe of Everton’s box.

Godfrey took off, travelling 50 yards into Leeds territory.

The sortie appeared destined to end when three Leeds defenders surrounded the Everton player.

But with a neat spin and turn of pace Godfrey was gone again, slipping a pass for Alex Iwobi, whose cross flew marginally too high for Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Ancelotti identified Godfrey’s speed, strength and intelligence as major attributes.

He employed all three qualities to anticipate and intercept, consistently nipping in front of his man to pinch possession but never over committing.

Godfrey enjoyed a slice of luck when he inadvertently used his shoulder to divert Gylfi Sigurdsson’s corner for Calvert-Lewin to score Everton’s second goal.

But fortune favours the brave and Godfrey’s run to the near post was decisive, his leap committed.

When Everton were forced to withstand Leeds pressure after half-time Godfrey was impenetrable.

He won a series of valuable headers to clear set pieces and Leeds’ attackers quickly appreciated that trying to dribble past Godfrey qualifies as a fool’s errand.

Godfrey started and finished the game with critical blocks, denying Raphinha inside 60 seconds and a disbelieving Luke Ayling in stoppage time.

There were examples of Godfrey’s ability to pass expansively from the back, too, a quality he feels is diluted at full-back.

Godfrey made seven clearances, won three duels, completed two interceptions and recovered possession four times.

And there was time for a reminder of his versatility, too, Godfrey shifting left for the closing 10 minutes after Ancelotti introduced Michael Keane to bolster the defensive effort.

Evertonians picked Godfrey as their star man and that spoke volumes on a night when there were numerous contenders for that honour.

Gomes Gliding Into Form

Andre Gomes is steadily re-emerging as a pivotal figure in Everton’s midfield.

Carlo Ancelotti’s view on Gomes’ performance at Leeds was unequivocal.

“In my opinion the best player on the pitch was André Gomes...technically, physically, tactically,” said Ancelotti.

“This is the real André Gomes, the one we need.”

The elegant Portuguese has had to navigate a winding path back to full health following the ankle injury he sustained at the back end of 2019.

Gomes is at pains to position a battle to regain fitness in its proper context given the global circumstances that checked his recovery.

In football terms alone, however, Gomes’ progress was complicated by the stop-start nature of last season – and subsequent niggles as his body revitalised.

The 27-year-old did well starting this season in the team but it is in the past two months momentum has grown.

Gomes has featured to some extent in 10 of Everton’s past 11 Premier League matches, in addition to starting both FA Cup games last month.

There have been signs of him coming to the boil and on Wednesday Gomes was red hot.

The pass he played to release Lucas Digne was lifted straight from the peak Gomes playbook: urgent but measured, ruthless but delicious.

Gomes prompted and probed all night. His sky-high pass success rate of 94.3 per cent was the best of any player who started the game.

Nobody completed more than his four dribbles either and it is a sure indication that Gomes is feeling good when he drives forward with the ball.

Perhaps most encouraging of all, Gomes finished as strongly as he started, still charging about, closing and filling spaces – and strong in possession.

He completed 90 minutes once this season before the turn of the year.

Gomes started 2021 by getting through 120 minutes against Rotherham United and he’s been on the field for the entirety of two of Everton’s past three Premier League matches.

Ancelotti’s excitement at being able to count on his influential midfielder is understandable.

Everyone Comes To Elland Road Party

You don’t carry passengers against this relentless Leeds United team and come away with three points.

Every Everton player needed to pull his weight for a hard-won victory and from the immaculate Robin Olsen in goal, through to striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin, the contributions were valuable.

Carlo Ancelotti insisted he drew more satisfaction from Calvert-Lewin’s application than a 12^th Premier League goal this term for the 23-year-old.

Gylfi Sigurdsson, supporting Calvert-Lewin, scored one goal following an exquisitely-timed rush into the box and it was his corner that led to Everton going two in front.

The Icelander helped suppress influential Leeds midfielder Kalvin Phillips, too.

Gomes’ fine display was accompanied by a typically energetic turn from Abdoulaye Doucoure, the Frenchman with a terrific football brain and acute appreciation of his task at any single moment.

Olsen’s triple save on 62 minutes, repelling Mateusz Klich, Raphinha and Jack Harrison was the headline act in another assured performance.

Arch-competitor Mason Holgate was tenacious and fast at right-back and from the left of defence the fabulous Lucas Digne provided his sixth assist this season.

Yerry Mina’s aerial prowess, meanwhile, was the perfect foil for the rapid Godfrey.

Everton’s Colombian defender is playing exceptionally well, reading play and scarcely missing a tackle or header in his penalty box.

There was the bonus of Joshua King playing his first football for Everton, too.

Ancelotti claimed the acquisition of King ensured Everton would contest the second half of this campaign with a “complete squad”.

Initial evidence bears out the Italian’s point.

Everton Quick Off The Mark For Right Response

It wasn’t quite the 42 seconds Dominic Calvert-Lewin took to score against Fulham.

Not the six minutes Alex Iwobi required to break through at Wolverhampton Wanderers either.

But Gylfi Sigurdsson converted Lucas Digne’s cross after only nine minutes to put Everton ahead on Wednesday.

A pattern is developing of Everton hitting the front early when a response is required – and on each of those three occasions Lucas Digne has been the player responsible for the assist.

Calvert-Lewin’s effort at Fulham set Carlo Ancelotti’s team on their way to a first victory in four following a slip prior to November’s international break.

A late loss to West Ham United preceded Everton’s blazing start on their visit to Wolves.

They conceded an equaliser in that match but emboldened by their bright start and a determination to make up for previous disappointment came again for a winning goal.

The desire to atone was perhaps stronger on a chill night in West Yorkshire than at any other time this season.

Carlo Ancelotti made no attempt to mask his disappointment following Saturday’s setback against Newcastle United and the Italian’s players evidently shared their manager’s annoyance.

Everton’s first attack was incisive and clinical and concluded with Sigurdsson sweeping in his third league goal this term.

Andre Gomes spun a ball over the top for Digne, who met little resistance from Raphinha.

Digne’s first touch created room for the cross, which skidded across the turf.

Sigurdsson arrived behind Pascal Struijk to sidefoot past Illan Meslier and set the tone for another profitable night away from Goodison Park.

Leeds came close to levelling through Ezgjan Alioski’s tremendous volley against the post.

Had that gone in, though, it felt as though Everton would have responded in kind.

As it was Calvert-Lewin doubled the advantage before half-time and Everton came up with the right answers again.

Blues Show True Colours

Carlo Ancelotti ordered the real Everton to turn up at Elland Road on Wednesday.

The manager admitted his team had shown “a different face” in defeat by Newcastle United four days ago.

He was prepared to cut them a little bit of slack because all the traits Ancelotti felt were missing at the weekend – spirit, endeavour, speed, fight, focus and ambition – were hallmarks of the performances which elevated Everton to the fringes of the Premier League’s top four.

Ancelotti vowed his side wouldn’t err twice and Everton backed up the former Real Madrid boss' words with another victory away from home – their seventh this term.

The occasional defeat in this unpredictable season doesn’t inflict lasting scars – on condition the response is prompt.

Everton went to Wolverhampton Wanderers three weeks ago following their only other loss in the past nine games – against West Ham United – and won the match.

After losing to tonight’s opponents in late November, Ancelotti’s side won four and drew one of their next five matches.

They are efficient at stopping the bleeding and that is one of the reasons Everton remain ensconced in the pack chasing European football.

Increasingly, Everton find a way, too.

This was a perilous assignment at a stadium that hasn’t been good to Everton down the years.

Leeds started the day 11th but joint-top goalscorers outside the Premier League’s top four with 35 from 20 games.

Their pace and movement and fluidity, allied to the zealousness of their work, add up to a unique test for opponents.

At 2-0 down and second best the home side refused to give up the ghost. Once they got a sniff, they made sure Everton would have to scrap for anything they took back to Goodison Park.

Certainly, the job of overcoming Leeds doesn’t have much in common with the challenge Everton encountered on their previous trip to the White Rose county.

Doughty Sheffield United were beaten on Boxing Day and enterprising Leeds suffered the same fate nearly six weeks later – both results secured by the real Everton.