‘It changed’ – Ancelotti details how Man City postponement altered Calvert-Lewin plans
Dominic Calvert-Lewin had been earmarked for a much-needed rest against Manchester City, but the postponement of the game means Carlo Ancelotti can afford to shelve those plans for now.
Calvert-Lewin has not missed an Everton game since the visit of Salford City in the League Cup on September 16, and has started every game since for the Toffees.
As a result, amidst a punishing festive fixture list, manager Carlo Ancelotti had planned to rest Calvert-Lewin for the Manchester City game on December 29, but the game was postponed after a spate of positive COVID cases for Pep Guardiola’s side.
Speaking to the media ahead of Friday’s match against old boss David Moyes and his West Ham side, Ancelotti was asked if the postponement had lessened the need to rest Calvert-Lewin, and backed him to overcome his goalscoring drought, as reported by Liverpool Echo, “Yes it changed. It is true that he had less opportunities.
“In the last games that we played, we didn’t have a lot of possession, we didn’t put in a lot of crosses because our full-backs were injured and we played a little bit differently with less opportunities for a striker like him.
“He had some good moments against Sheffield United, he is doing well.
“He didn’t score goals in this period but he is going to score, there is no doubt about this.”
Rest will do Calvert-Lewin wonders
It’s no secret that Calvert-Lewin has struggled to keep up the early-season form that had catapulted him to the top of the goalscoring charts and gave him his England chance.
He scored nine goals in six games before the first international break in October, and scored a further two in the four games that sandwiched the second national team break.
However, after returning the second time and scoring two goals at Fulham on November 22, the fortunes of Calvert-Lewin in front of goal have taken a turn.
Since the game at Craven Cottage, Calvert-Lewin has only scored one in seven games, and is currently on a five-game barren run.
The 23-year-old striker has not been afforded more than four days break since he scored in a 1-1 draw at Burnley on December 5, with the avalanche of games in December alongside some injuries to key men in the Everton side ensuring he has been required in every game.
The postponement of the Manchester City clash, though, means Calvert-Lewin will be afforded a full five days in between the Boxing Day win at Sheffield United and Everton’s next game against West Ham, on New Years Day.
Ancelotti and the Goodison Park faithful will hope this does their striker, so vital to their success this season, the world of good, and that he comes back firing in his bid for the Premier League golden boot.
In other Everton news, Kevin Campbell gives his verdict on the crucial upcoming game against West Ham.