Leeds United and Everton are learning to live without Raphinha and Richarlison, but who is doing better

Leeds United host Everton on Tuesday, but both sides are learning to adjust to life without two Brazilian stars.

Raphinha and Richarlison were instant hits after joining the clubs in 2020 and 2018 respectively.

While Raphinha was a relatively low-key £17m arrival from Rennes, eyebrows were raised when Everton splashed out £40m to bring in Richarlison from Watford.

A brace on his Everton debut quickly endeared Richarlison to Evertonians, and he went on to score 53 goals in all competitions during his four seasons at Goodison Park.

Neither player will be involved at Elland Road on Tuesday. Raphinha is at Barcelona and Richarlison will prepare for Tottenham's game against West Ham.

But who has been the biggest miss so far, and what progress have Leeds and Everton made in trying to replace them?

What's missing?

In his two Premier League seasons, Raphinha directly contributed to 29 goals, scoring 17 times and providing 12 assists, at least one more than all of his teammates.

The variety of his shots was hugely impressive, with seven of his league goals for Leeds coming from outside the box. Only one player - Southampton captain James Ward-Prowse - could boast a better total (nine) in the same time frame. That quality was on display when he planted a superb strike into the top right corner for Barca against Real Madrid in a pre-season friendly in the United States.

He has started well at Barca, with only three players in La Liga creating more goalscoring opportunities so far than the 25-year-old (eight).

Raphinha's 11 league goals last season marked his best performance since the 15 he scored in the 2017-18 campaign, when he played for Vitoria Guimaraes in Portugal. He didn't score as freely for Sporting CP and scored just seven goals in his only full season with Rennes in France, but in Marcelo Bielsa's system he thrived.

One of the hardest-working wide players in the Premier League, Richarlison brings the grafting flair and sarcasticism that has endeared him to his fans. He played at least 30 league games in each of his seasons on Merseyside, operating across the front line and even at times as a number 10 under Rafael Benitez.

While not as creative as Raphinha, whose tally of 129 league-created chances for Leeds surpasses the tally managed by Richarlison in his four years at Everton (109), Richarlison's knack for finding space behind defenses and between lines means he's often in the right place at the right time to provide the finishing touches.

Meanwhile, his tenacity off the ball was best demonstrated by his assist for Harry Kane's second goal for Spurs against Nottingham Forest on Sunday. After chasing what looked like a lost cause, Richarlison picked out Kane with a sublime cross from the outside of the boot, providing the Tottenham talisman with a mere header into a gaping net.

Substitutes

Raphinha wasn't the only big name to leave Leeds as Kalvin Phillips was sold to Manchester City.

Leeds, keen to back Jesse Marsch, moved quickly to reinvest those funds into the team. Luis Sinisterra was recruited from Feyenoord as Raphinha's de facto replacement.

More comfortable playing on the left, but equally capable of playing on the opposite flank, Sinistera has pace and skill in abundance. A pre-season hamstring injury was a concern but he returned in time to make his debut as a substitute against Southampton on August 13.

A superb strike on his full debut - in an EFL Cup win over Barnsley last week - demonstrated what the Colombia international, who scored 23 goals for Feyenoord last season, is all about.

Brenden Aaronson, Marcsh's compatriot, is an attacking midfielder who shone for Salzburg and got off to a good start in England life and will also help close the gap.

Things have been more complicated for Everton when it comes to replacing Richarlison.

While he has so far had to settle for cameo roles at Spurs, Richarlison was Everton's attacking hub. With Dominic Calvert-Lewin injured for so much of last season, it was his 10 goals, including six from April, that were crucial in keeping Frank Lampard's side going. He has been involved in 10 of Everton's 11 league wins in 2021-22.

With Richarlison sold at least in part to appease Premier League profit and loss regulations, Everton have been unable to use the initial £50m they received from Spurs too freely as they would have liked.

Dwight McNeil has been signed but is not a goalscorer, putting an additional burden on Demarai Gray and Anthony Gordon, which is attracting interest from Chelsea. Neal Maupay arrived last week to relieve some of the tension, but with Calvert-Lewin injured again, Everton's attack looks brutal.

Who faces...