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Ancelotti tight-lipped on January transfer targets

Cape Town - New Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti says he will not entertain talk of January transfer targets until after next week's FA Cup clash with Merseyside rivals Liverpool.

Ancelotti was appointed Everton boss on December 21, replacing the sacked Marco Silva, and he made a perfect start to life at Goodison Park when guiding his new side to a 1-0 Premier League victory at home to Burnley on Boxing Day,

Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored the only goal of the match with a diving header but the scoreline should have been more comfortable for the Toffees, who had 68 per cent of possession overall and 21 shots, but only five were on target.

Everton's profligacy in front of goal has been an issue for the Merseyside outfit and they haven't had a reliable goalscorer since Belgium international Romelu Lukaku left for Manchester United in the summer of 2017.

It was thought Ancelotti will look to delve into the transfer market for a new striker, but the Italian tactician says he is not thinking about potential reinforcements until the busy festive period has ended.

"No. We didn't talk about this, but for sure I am not asking for a striker," he said. "Up front we are really good, but we didn't talk about this because until January 5 we have to be focused on the three games. After that we can talk about whether we need something or not."

Everton have three games in the space of three days, starting with Saturday's Premier League trip to St James' Park to take on Newcastle United, who are looking to bounce back from the thumping 4-1 defeat they suffered at Manchester United on Boxing Day.

The Toffees then travel to defending champions Manchester City on New Year's Day before Ancelotti gets his first taste of a Merseyside derby when he takes his side to Anfield to take on rivals Liverpool in the third round of the FA Cup on January 5.

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