New Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti has set his sets on overhauling Liverpool - starting with the clubs’ FA Cup tie at Anfield the start of next month.
The Italian veteran has signed a four-and-half-year contract at Goodison Park and arrived on Monday as the only manager in Europe to have beaten Jurgen Klopp this season.
Ancelotti’s Napoli beat Everton’s neighbours in a Champions League group game in September and his overall record against Liverpool while working for clubs like AC Milan, Chelsea and Real Madrid is seven wins out of twelve.
He said: ‘The Evertonians knows my score against Liverpool. I think they will be happy for this. It is true we beat Liverpool this season. It is a big rival here. That is a big motivation for us.
‘It feels good [to beat them].
‘I have a really good relationship with Jurgen Klopp. They are not used to losing but it was a good day for me this season. I know how Everton supporters want to beat Liverpool and we don’t have to wait long to try. We have the FA Cup game on January 5.
‘It is not a mission impossible. Nothing is impossible in football.’
Ancelotti revealed he bumped in to Liverpool fans while walking in the city centre on Sunday. ‘They are afraid and they are worried to see me because I beat them a lot of times,’ he joked.
‘I don’t know the people really well but most of them are generous, really kind with me. Liverpool is a football city. You can smell there is football everywhere here.
‘Evertonians and Liverpool fans are respectful I think.’ Ancelotti joins Everton having never beaten them in six attempts and was actually sacked in the tunnel at Goodison Park after his Chelsea team lost there in 2011.
He also revealed on Monday that he tried to sign young Italian striker Moise Kean for Napoli.
‘I wanted him [from Juventus] but Everton were there first,’ he said.