Carlo Ancelotti hopes another sell-out crowd at Goodison Park can help keep momentum swinging in Everton’s favour in his first game in charge.
Ancelotti will take his place in the dugout for the visit of Burnley alongside Duncan Ferguson, who will remain as his assistant after doing more than anyone to lift the gloom following Marco Silva’s departure.
Everton sat in the bottom three when Silva was sacked on December 6, but are now four points clear after Ferguson steered them to victory over Chelsea and draws against Manchester United and Arsenal as caretaker.
How good does this look? 🤩💙#WelcomeMrAncelottipic.twitter.com/6BBrm0Pasx— Everton (@Everton) December 23, 2019
“I saw the last four games, I think Duncan has done a fantastic job because the team showed fantastic spirit, I really enjoyed it,” Ancelotti said when unveiled to the media on Monday.
“We have to try to play attractive football. I saw also how the supporters pushed the team forward.
“This is good. They want to see offensive football and I would like to put in the team a good style of football. I don’t know if I’m able, but I will try.”
The 60-year-old Italian, one of Europe’s most decorated managers, signed a four-and-a-half-year contract before Saturday’s 0-0 home draw against Arsenal.
🤩 | When you 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 experience Goodison Park… #WelcomeMrAncelottipic.twitter.com/mgcY2rkPjx— Everton (@Everton) December 22, 2019
“I don’t want to change a lot of course in three days,” he said.
“It’s difficult. We have to start from the fact that the team in the last few games showed good spirit.
“We have to use this to try to win the game against Burnley, which is really important.
“In just three days you can’t do a lot, but I want to put some ideas forward of how I want to play in the first training (sessions) before the game.”
Ancelotti won the Premier League and FA Cup double with Chelsea in 2010 during his only previous spell in England and has targeted Champions League football with the Merseysiders.
“This takes time, it will not happen overnight,” he said. “We have to be patient, with a clear idea and a clear focus.
“I’m sure we’re going to improve quickly. The squad is good. There is a good mix.
“There are experienced players where you can see a sense of belonging, like (Seamus) Coleman and (Leighton) Baines, and you have young players.
“It is a good mix I think. I’m satisfied with the squad. Of course we have to improve, we can improve.
“But the first thing, in this period we have important games, a lot of games. We have to be focused there.
“And after that, with the board and (director of football) Marcel (Brands) we can talk about how we can improve this team.
“But the first idea, now for me, we have only three days to prepare for the next game against Burnley and we have to be focused there.”
Lucas Digne, Djibril Sidibe, Fabian Delph and Gylfi Sigurdsson all returned to action after injury against Arsenal, while Jean-Philippe Gbamin and Andre Gomes remain long-term absentees.
