Iwobi, others can help Everton secure top 4 – Ancelotti

Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti has admitted he has to improve the quality in his squad if they want to consistently challenge for Champions League football but insists that Iwobi and his other players came make it happen.

Three wins in a week have propelled the Italian’s side into top-four contention and they head into the weekend just a point behind Monday’s opponents Chelsea but with a match in hand.

The trip to Stamford Bridge is a pivotal one for Everton if they are to maintain their progress and fulfill Ancelotti’s dream of being able to play in Europe’s elite club competition again.

That ambition seemed an unrealistic prospect when he took over in mid-December 2019 with an underperforming side who were just four points above the relegation zone.

The shrewd acquisition of players he knows well – James Rodriguez from his time at Real Madrid and Allan with whom he worked at Napoli – plus defender Ben Godfrey from Norwich and Watford midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure have made a significant difference to their fortunes this season.

“It’s my team. I am really happy to be the manager of this team and these players because I feel they follow me, they have a lot of respect for my idea,” he said.

“Of course we would like to play better. I’m not the only one who would like to play better; most of the players want to play better.

“In this sense we have to improve the technical quality of the squad, but what we cannot do is improve the spirit of this team. It is really high.

“We are not at the top at the moment so we have difficulty to fight for the first four positions in the Champions League. We want to fight.”