Premier League top-four finish would be a dream for Everton, says Ancelotti

Securing a top-four finish in the Premier League this season would be a dream for Everton, the Merseyside club's manager Carlo Ancelotti said.

Everton are seventh on the table with 43 points after 25 games, two points below fourth-placed West Ham United who have played a game more, after Monday's 1-0 home win against Southampton.

A win over second-from-bottom West Bromwich Albion on Thursday would move Everton into fourth ahead of Liverpool and Chelsea, who play each other later the same evening.

"It will be a dream to be in the top four at the end of the season," Ancelotti said after Richarlison's goal secured their first league victory at home since December 19.

"We have to put all our effort into the game on Thursday to try to be there, it is a real possibility. It doesn't matter how long we can be there, but just to see how we feel if we are there.

"There will be a big fight until the end of the season and we have to be pleased we can fight for that position.

"But it doesn't change our target, which is to be in Europe next season."

Everton had the better of the few chances as they claimed a first home victory in six games at Goodison Park.

Richarlison provided a neat finish to Gylfi Sigurdsson’s perfect through ball after nine minutes to secure the points after another toothless display from Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side.

"A very good performance, I really appreciated the teamwork of the players. We deserved to win," Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti said.

"To fight for the European places we have to improve our home form and this victory will help. It will be a dream to be in the top four at the end of the season."

It was a fifth goal in as many games for Richarlison after a slump at the turn of the year, but it owed a lot to the vision of Sigurdsson, who filled the playmaker role vacated by the injured James Rodriguez.

Home defender Michael Keane had the ball in the net from a free-kick midway through the first half, but Mason Holgate was correctly ruled offside in the build-up and the goal ruled out.

Everton found plenty of space from free-kick’s into the Saints box, and Keane twice lost his marker in the first 15 minutes of the second half but could not find the target.

As the game wore on and Everton sat back to protect their lead, Southampton finally created a couple of chances and may feel they should have come away with a point.

Moussa Djenepo fired just past the post when in acres of space on the right-hand side of the box and defender Jannik Vestergaard had a big opportunity in the dying minutes but could not steer the ball in with only keeper Jordan Pickford to beat.

"The goals are missing at the moment and without goals it is tough to win games. We have to work for the luck to come back," Hasenhuttl told Sky Sports.

"When you don't win games you get under pressure. But it is not the same team that played in the first half of the season because we have so many injuries."

- Reuters