IT IS AS WELL THAT TERRY Venables has not fled yet. If the Leeds United manager’s job was to become vacant, who would want it? The joke about the traveller who stops to ask directions and is told “I wouldn’t start from here” could just as easily apply to Leeds. Want to be manager of Leeds? “Well, I wouldn’t start from here,” Venables might say if he was advising applicants.

Leeds are off the map of England’s happiest and healthiest clubs. Gifted players are being sold, the supporters want Peter Ridsdale, the chairman, out, the team has taken only one point from their last four Premiership games, and an FA Cup banana skin is in their path. Wherever Leeds go there are wisecracks.

“Free Leeds player with every copy,” the Everton fanzine seller on Gwladys St recited before kick-off. “Who would want those who are left?” was the tempting response as we filed away. Apart from a lively, if erratic, contribution from Alan Smith in the first half, Leeds were as Gillingham would like for their FA Cup fourth-round replay tomorrow: dreadful.

The central defence looked in need of a player of Jonathan Woodgate’s class. Shame he had just been sold to Newcastle United. Venables could diet for a year and still have not a waist to fit the belt-tightening at Leeds.

Woodgate’s sale, though, was a belt-hole too many for Venables. He could understand, he said, why Rio Ferdinand, Robbie Keane, Lee Bowyer, Olivier Dacourt and Robbie Fowler had to go, but Woodgate? Venables had warned Ridsdale that the sale of Woodgate would force him to consider his future and he left Goodison Park indicating no more than he might stay until the Cup replay.

“It is definitely my intention to be in charge for the FA Cup but I cannot say what I am going to do beyond that,” Venables said. He then indicated he would stay for the duration: “I called the players and backroom staff together at training today and told them I wanted to stay. We have got an FA Cup tie on Tuesday night and it is vital we prepare for that game and the rest of the season.” Yet he added to confusion by giving a television interview in which he was asked whether he might quit before the Gillingham game. “I don’t know,” he replied.

Woodgate, he said, had been sold behind his back after he was led to believe that the departure of Fowler had bought breathing space. “The manager of a football club should know what is going on,” Venables said. He said that the gumshield had been in almost from the word go but “this latest blow is something different”.

Such was the uncertainty of the Leeds central defence, Danny Mills especially, that Ridsdale, accompanied by a three-man personal guard, after threats to his safety, looked more secure. Wayne Rooney, the Everton forward, may have been serving the last leg of his four-match suspension but Tomasz Radzinski proved handful enough, particularly with Li Tie prompting.

Mills, hardly a slouch, was beaten twice by Radzinski’s pace, first when Li released him but the Canadian, racing clear of his marker, rolled the ball wide. Then Gary Naysmith put another ball through only for the outsprinted Mills to bring the Everton man down. David Unsworth converted the penalty.

Leeds hardly mustered a shot. Smith worked hard in midfield but to little effect, too many of his passes going astray. Everton, too, were not exactly spoilt for chances and Paul Robinson, in the Leeds goal, was busy — apart from two routine saves — only when picking the ball out of the net. Robinson was beaten for the second time when slick passing and lively movement between Li and Radzinski climaxed in a polished finish from the latter.

Everton have reasserted themselves after the FA Cup defeat by Shrewsbury Town and their third successive victory drew them alongside Chelsea on points. How Leeds supporters, reading the matchday programme, must have felt envious as Everton trumpeted the new contracts signed by Rooney and Tony Hibbert, two rising stars. The Goodison crown jewels, David Moyes, the manager, said, would not be sold while he was in charge. But neither would there be any rash spending. “You have got to look to build success,” Moyes said. At Everton, you wouldn’t mind starting from here.

Everton (4-4-2): R Wright 5 A Pistone 6, D Weir 7, A Stubbs 7, D Unsworth 6 S Watson 7, S Gemmill 5, Li Tie 8, G Naysmith 5 T Radzinski 7, B McBride 5 (sub: K Campbell, 73). Substitutes not used: M Pembridge, T Gravesen, J Yobo, P Gerrard. NEXT: Charlton (a). FORM: WWWLDD

Leeds United (4-4-2): P Robinson 5 G Kelly 5, D Mills 4, D Matteo 5 (sub: L Radebe, 71), T Lucic 5 (sub: I Harte, 46 5) A Smith 6, E Bakke 5 (sub: J Milner, 79), P Okon 5, J Wilcox 5 H Kewell 4, M Viduka 5. Substitutes not used: N Martyn, S Johnson. Booked: Bakke. NEXT: West Ham (h). FORM: LLDLWW

Referee: M Halsey 5. Attendance: 40,153