Evanilson profits from costly Trafford blunder as Bournemouth punish Leeds

Accidents will happen. They also have consequences. Leeds were playing well, certainly better than Bournemouth for the first 30 minutes until James Trafford committed his grievous error. The goalkeeper made a horrible mess of a pass to an unwitting Ao Tanaka. In stole Justin Kluivert to set up Evanilson for a fifth goal in six matches. Where Leeds’s confidence sagged, Evanilson continued to find the best form of his time on the south coast.

“I just met him and told him you are a real No 9,” Marco Rose said of the Brazilian who was full of intelligent movement. “He has to reward himself with goals and that is what he is doing.”

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Thursday’s Prague assignment in the Europa League was kept in mind as Evanilson departed after 75 minutes. The continued rise of Bournemouth, celebrating a sixth successive win, is testament to changing times, thoroughly modern football scoring 16 unanswered goals in those victories. They are now matching the standards of Andoni Iraola’s regime.

Trafford fell victim to a determination to chase everything down as Leeds followed three former European champions in Milan, Manchester United and Aston Villa in submission to the swarm. Eli Junior Kroupi supplying Amine Adli for the stoppage-time goal that confirmed victory was the latest example of a club finding players others cannot reach.

For Leeds, there is no need to press any panic buttons. “I can really speak too negatively,” said Daniel Farke. “I am not concerned about the performance or the commitment.” Trafford has otherwise looked an astute summer signing. “I am pretty sure he will save us more points than he lost us today,” said Farke.

Talking of panic, recent transfer speculation has linked Dominic Calvert-Lewin with Manchester United. The striker’s career revived in West Yorkshire, he is surely too sensible to join Eric Cantona, Rio Ferdinand, Gordon McQueen and Joe Jordan in crossing the Pennines to join English football’s elephants’ graveyard. Leeds remain a different model to the analytics-led disruptors, but with serviceable, solid recruitment. At Bournemouth, promising beginnings, solid foundations were not built upon.

Tyler Adams, booed by away fans for the manner of his departure from Leeds, was a reminder of the 2022-23 relegation season. Within that promising early spell, Leeds’s defence broke up Bournemouth’s three-match sequence of scoring in the first eight minutes at home. “They matched our intensity,” said Rose.

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That laid a platform for Calvert-Lewin to get the ball in the net, converting a cross from James Justin. Celebrations were soon curtailed. An inadvertent rebound off the striker’s biceps as he bundled home called the video assistant referee into play. A goal was denied. “Lucky us,” said Rose while Farke lamented the scratching of “one of the best team goals of the season”.

Evanilson and Marcus Tavernier have been Bournemouth’s most consistent players this season. For that first half-hour, they were muted. Then came Trafford’s rush of blood, bearing close resemblance to an error committed in Manchester City colours against Tottenham at the start of last season. “My recommendation is that he shouldn’t watch the game back,” said Farke of an incident he compared to an own goal. “James is a terrific young goalkeeper … it happens.”

Bournemouth thereafter locating their rhythm deepened Leeds’s plight. Trafford was not alone among his team in losing his previous confidence. Tanaka punting wildly out of play as half-time beckoned embodied their collective sag.

Trafford’s foibles continued beyond the break, home fans jeering another misplaced clearance. Such mistakes resulted from Bournemouth zipping with an energy that belies a small squad playing through a packed schedule. Calvert-Lewin, starved of service, was forced to drop deep in search of any involvement.

• Evanilson is the first Brazilian to score a Premier League goal on Halloween since Raphinha did so for Leeds against Norwich in 2021; the only other Brazilians to do so are Ramires and Philippe Coutinho, both in 2015.

• Bournemouth have won three consecutive Premier League games without conceding for the first time.

• After winning one of their first 13 league matches against Leeds, Bournemouth are now unbeaten in their past four (W2 D2), with this the first clean sheet they have registered against them since September 1988 (0-0). Opta

A decent save from a skidding Tavernier free kick brought partial redemption for Trafford. The arrival of Kroupi, edging his way back to fitness, added a firepower and creativity unavailable to Leeds. Having scored three of Leeds’s nine goals in nine games, the burden on Calvert-Lewin is heavy, particularly when service to him is light.

“Football is very often just about one goal,” said Farke, but Bournemouth’s second, from Adli, confirmed the match had escaped.