- Title: Ancelotti praises Everton's team spirit
- Date: 31st December 2019
- Summary: LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND, UK (DECEMBER 31, 2019) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) CARLO ANCELOTTI, EVERTON MANAGER, SAYING: "Of course, I guess City will be a fantastic test for us to see where we are, in the sense that it's a really strong team. But we have confidence, we have confidence to do our best to do a fantastic game. I think at the moment it's good for us, it is good to have this kind of test, also against Liverpool. We have to be happy to try and compete for surely the top team in England and also in Europe, we have to be happy to try to be competitive."
- Embargoed: 14th January 2020 11:40
- Keywords: Ancelotti Everton Ferguson Manchester City Soccer manager
- Location: NEWCASTLE AND LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND, UK
- City: NEWCASTLE AND LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND, UK
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Soccer,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA008BCB3ARJ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Everton's new manager Carlo Ancelotti said on Tuesday (December 31) that caretaker manager Duncan Ferguson did an impressive job in his time in charge of the club.
Ancelotti has seen his side record victories over Newcastle United and Burnley, becoming only the third Everton manager to win his first two Premier League games in charge, emulating the achievement by Joe Royle in 1994 and David Moyes in 2002.
The Italian, who named Ferguson his assistant after the club's former striker had overseen a three-match unbeaten run, was delighted and also credited the Scot for some fine groundwork.
The results have lifted Everton to 10th in the standings on 25 points from 20 games, above 11th-placed Newcastle on goal difference.
Everton next face two tough away games, a league match at Manchester City on Wednesday followed by a trip to Anfield for a F.A. Cup third round clash with runaway Premier League leaders Liverpool, but Ancelotti said he was relishing seeing how his players perform against the top sides.
Ancelotti, who said he was impressed with the spirit in the squad, played down speculation about signings in the January transfer window, saying he was concentrating on the next two matches and would assess the situation when they are out of the way.
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