Everton are in Premier League action at Goodison Park today with the Toffees boasting a high-calibre new head coach in Carlo Ancelotti.
BBC Sport pundit Mark Lawrenson has given his thoughts on Everton’s appointment of Carlo Ancelotti and looked ahead to their upcoming Premier League clash at Goodison Park, suggesting that the Toffees newcomer should delegate one particular task to Duncan Ferguson.
Everton have brought in Ancelotti on a four-and-a-half-year deal, the Italian succeeding Marco Silva at the helm of the Toffees, and his first game in charge is the Premier League Boxing Day meeting with Burnley on Merseyside.
Prior to Ancelotti’s arrival at Everton, Ferguson took the Toffees reins on a caretaker basis after Silva was sacked by the Toffees hierarchy following a severe downturn in form which culminated in the club dropping into the Premier League relegation zone.
The Everton stalwart, cult hero and coach got his stint off to the greatest possible start, overcoming Chelsea, before claiming draws with Manchester United and Arsenal, and even in his one defeat, in the League Cup against Leicester City, this only came on penalties after a heroic fightback from two goals down.
“I wonder what new Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti was thinking when he was watching his side’s 0-0 draw with Arsenal last weekend?” Lawrenson wrote on BBC Sport. “Ancelotti probably realises now just how big a job he has got on his hands, and Burnley are tricky opponents for his first game back in the Premier League.
“If this game was at Turf Moor, it would be even more difficult but Goodison Park will be rocking and I am sure we will see a reaction from the Everton players too. It probably would not be a bad idea if Ancelotti gave Duncan Ferguson the last word in the dressing room before the team runs out. He would make sure they were fired up and knew exactly what was expected of them.”
Ancelotti clinched the Premier League and FA Cup double with Chelsea ten years ago and is one of only three managers to win three European Cups / Champions Leagues – along with Liverpool legend Bob Paisley and Real Madrid’s Zinedine Zidane – as well as domestic titles with Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich.
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