Calvert-Lewin lauds Ancelotti

Dominic Calvert-Lewin said it is "privilege" to work with Carlo Ancelotti in an "unbelievable time" for Everton with the Italian in charge.

Ancelotti took over as manager before Christmas after Marco Silva was sacked early in December following a dismal Merseyside derby defeat which left the club in the Premier League relegation zone. Everton face another trip to Anfield on Sunday, with runaway Premier League leaders Liverpool their opponents in the third round of the FA Cup. The Toffees won their first two matches under Ancelotti before going down 2-1 to Manchester City on New Year's Day and Calvert-Lewin is thrilled to play under a manager of Ancelotti's calibre.

"He is one of biggest managers in the world and as a young kid growing up you saw him on TV working at some of biggest clubs," the striker, who scored three goals in Ancelotti's first two games at the helm, told BBC Sport. "To have him here now, when you first see him you are little taken aback. He has a presence about him. That is just from the man he is and what he has done in football.

 

January 3, 2020

"To be working with him on a daily basis is a privilege. He is a man who knows how to win things and knows how to work with great players. As a club these are exciting times. To have a manager to have done what he has done in the game, you can't be anything but excited. It is an unbelievable time to be an Everton fan and an Everton player. I am looking forward to what the future holds."

Everton last won a Merseyside derby in 2010, and have not beat their local rivals at Anfield since September 1999, but Calvert-Lewin is hoping to change that dismal record this weekend.

"We want to be the first to make it happen and change that," Calvert-Lewin added.