‘We have a chance’ – Ancelotti believes Everton can get a result against Man City
Carlo Ancelotti has insisted Everton have every chance of beating Manchester City when the two sides cross paths on Wednesday evening.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Ancelotti proclaimed that although he wasn’t sure how much of a chance the Blues would have against Pep Guardiola’s side, he assured fans that he has confidence in his team’s ability.
Everton will be without Dominic Calvert-Lewin for the second successive fixture, with the 13-goal forward having injured his hamstring in the club’s FA Cup clash with Tottenham last week.
Speaking to ahead of Wednesday’s game (via evertonfc.com), Ancelotti said: “I don’t know how much chance we have to win against Manchester City – but we have a chance.
“Usually, in this kind of game, we did really well, so I have confidence.
“[Monday] was not a good day because we were disappointed and frustrated. Today is the day of confidence and belief.
“I believe we can play a completely different game (from Sunday against Fulham).”
Change in attitude
Despite Everton’s recent performance against Fulham proving to be highly disappointing, there is something to be said for how Ancelotti has been able to force his side to bounce back following less than stellar results.
Aside from a blip earlier in the campaign, Everton haven’t failed to earn at least a point following a loss since early December.
Losses against West Ham and Newcastle in the New Year were immediately followed by wins against Wolves and Leeds respectively, the latter of which stood out as one of the club’s better performances in recent memory.
Having already beaten Tottenham, Chelsea, Arsenal and Leicester in the Premier League this season, the Blues have shown that they can mix it with the bigger sides should they turn up, and coupled with Ancelotti’s bounce-back factor it wouldn’t be a monumental surprise if the club fought for a result against City.
Of course, the odds are not in Everton’s favour, with City having now won their previous 11 Premier League games on the bounce. However, stranger things have happened in football.
In other Everton news, a number of Everton supporters have criticised Mason Holgate’s performance in the club’s 2-0 loss to Fulham at Goodison Park on Sunday.