Everton fans could not believe their luck when the club appointed Carlo Ancelotti as their new manager in December 2019.
The Italian coach, who has won league titles in England, Germany, France and Italy, signed a four-and-a-half-year deal in what was another step in the right direction for the Toffees under Farhad Moshiri.
AFP
Ancelotti had been heavily linked with replacing Unai Emery at Arsenal before taking the Everton job.
However, the Gunners ended up going down a different route by giving Mikel Arteta his first ever job as a manager.
In fact, Arteta was appointed Arsenal boss just one day before Ancelotti took the reins at Goodison Park.
In the first six months at their respective clubs, Ancelotti dragged Everton away from relegation trouble, while Arteta won the FA Cup.
AFP
With a European push on Everton’s mind, Ancelotti spent a combined £86million on Allan, James Rodriguez, Abdoulaye Doucoure and Ben Godfrey in the 2020 summer transfer window.
Meanwhile, Arteta was given £70.1m to bring in Thomas Partey, Gabriel, Alex Runarsson and Willian.
Money spent in the 2020 summer transfer window
Arsenal
Runar Runarsson – £1.8m from Dijon
Gabriel – £23m from Lille
Thomas Partey – £45.3m from Atletico Madrid
Total: £70.1m
Everton
Allan – £21m from Napoli
James Rodriguez – £20m from Real Madrid
Abdoulaye Doucoure – £20m from Watford
Ben Godfrey – £25m from Norwich
Total: £86m
Everton’s new recruits settled in well with the Toffees winning all four of their opening Premier League games, which increased the belief the club could mount a top four challenge.
However, Ancelotti’s side have been let down by their dreadful home form, which has seen them win five and lose nine league games this season.
The general consensus had been that Ancelotti was making progress at Goodison Park.
However, Everton, who are currently in eighth place, could finish behind Arsenal, a club that are having their worst season in recent history.
Arsenal are one place and one point below Everton in the table as the pressure has mounted on Arteta throughout the season.
Premier League stats between Arsenal and Everton this season
Arsenal
Place: Ninth
Points: 55
Goals scored: 50
Goals conceded 38
Goal difference: +12
Everton
Place: Eighth
Points: 56
Goals scored: 46
Goals conceded: 43
Goal difference: +3
The Gunners were knocked out of the Europa League at the semi-final stage earlier this month and now face playing a season without European football for the first time in 25 years.
Arsenal have also scored more and conceded fewer goals than Everton in the Premier League this season.
The Gunners have two favourable remaining fixtures against Crystal Palace and Brighton, while Everton take on Wolves and Premier League champions Man City.
Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy insists there would be more pressure on Ancelotti’s job if fans had regularly been inside stadiums during the season.
He told White and Jordan on talkSPORT: “I got hammered for saying this when Everton were on a good run earlier this season… I said they’d be nowhere near top four.
AFP
“And I also got hammered for saying Ancelotti was a risk in that he’s only ever managed teams who are full of international, top quality players competing for titles.
“He walked into Everton with a completely different expectancy, completely different tools. They got an elite manager, but it’s a bit like Jose Mourinho going to Tottenham.
“Ancelotti going from PSG, AC Milan and then he’s walking into Everton – it’s a different job.”
Murphy continued: “Everton’s home form is a huge concern.
“There are two ways of looking at it – one is the form wouldn’t have been that bad if they had the fans there because at Goodison it is intense.
AFP
“It used to be my favourite ground to play at, phenomenal support. So there is an argument to suggest they wouldn’t have had some of these results if the fans were behind them.
“But actually if the fans were in there and they had these results and played that badly, Ancelotti would be under more pressure. He would be under much more pressure.”
Ancelotti was not judged on Everton’s 12th-placed finish last season due to his arrival midway through the campaign.
However, if the Toffees finish eighth or even lower, questions could be asked over whether the former Real Madrid manager is making enough progress on Merseyside.
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