Ancelotti hails fantastic striker, strong team spirit

Everton overcame a spirited home side to win 2-1 at Newcastle, with a brace from Dominic Calvert-Lewin making the difference.

Speaking after the game, manager Carlo Ancelotti was thrilled by his lead striker.

”Dominic Calvert-Lewin is playing really well. The second goal was a big part of Richarlison. It doesn’t matter if you score or not it important to work as a team and they did.

“He is a fantastic striker, in my opinion. He is fantastic with the head, clever in the box, sharp. He is young and for this reason he can improve.

“He is a humble guy. I think he going to be at the top in England and in Europe. He has all the qualities to be a top striker.”

On the game itself, and how his side did -

“I am happy. The team played well. I am pleased, it was a difficult game. We started really well, Newcastle pushed a lot but we won showing a good performance. We are judged for the result. I thought we did good for the first 20 minutes. We need to have more control in the second part of the first half but we came back in the second half.

“The team is improving and that is important. The players are trying to adapt, they want to change a lot. The job Duncan Ferguson did was fantastic. The spirit was strong when we arrived. After that we just tried to play football because we are paid to play football.”

Everton are provisionally up to tenth place and in the top half of the table, for the first time since mid-September.

”We don’t have to look at the table too much, we have to look to the next game. We want to play games, good games, try to play well. This is our goal.

“Of course the table is important but we have to focus on the next game. We need to have confidence because we have won. The last result for the team was good. We have to try our play our best.”

The Blues now travel to Manchester City on New Year’s Day, and then take on Liverpool at Anfield next Sunday in the FA Cup.

“They are not easy teams [to play against], It will be more difficult.

“But, as I said, the spirit is good in the squad and the Club, and we will do our best to achieve good results.”