Carlo Ancelotti says red-hot Dominic Calvert-Lewin boasts the potential to be a “great striker for England”.

Calvert-Lewin scored his sixth goal in eight Premier League games to earn Everton a draw at West Ham United on Saturday.

That result sustained Italian Ancelotti’s encouraging start as Everton boss. The Blues have claimed 15 points from eight league matches – and 10 from the five games since Ancelotti launched his reign with a 1-0 win over Burnley.

Calvert-Lewin’s goal settled that Boxing Day fixture and the forward will aim to add to his 11-goal tally for the season when Everton host Newcastle United on Tuesday.

Ancelotti’s side beat the same opponents 2-1 in the reverse fixture last month, Calvert-Lewin netting both his team’s goals.

Everton are level with Newcastle on 29 points, five points shy of Manchester United in fifth.

“We had problems against Newcastle away and I think we will have the same problems on Tuesday,” said Ancelotti, whose team sit one position above their midweek opponents on goal difference.

“We have to be focussed on the match, not look at the table.

“We have to do our best to get three points for our confidence.

“Confidence is really important, it keeps the atmosphere good.

“The atmosphere round us now is really good.

“We had some good results and need to continue having positive results.

“It is important to keep the spirit of the team high.”

Calvert-Lewin has played every minute of Ancelotti’s six matches in charge.

His 11 goals in all competitions have come from 20 starts and with gun England forwards Harry Kane and Marcus Rashford out for prolonged periods talk is intensifying over a potential senior international call for 22-year-old Calvert-Lewin.

“Dominic is doing really well and he has to keep going,” said Ancelotti.

“He is showing good quality, his feeling in this period is very good

“He works hard, really hard, he has to be focussed more on not moving too much outside [into wide positions].

“He has to stay close to the box because there he is really dangerous.

“He can play for England, no doubts.

“England has fantastic strikers. He has to fight but he has the quality, the possibility, to be a great striker for England.”

Ancelotti, who revealed he is speaking with Director of Football Marcel Brands about potential transfer targets “every day", was also asked in his pre-match press conference about Mason Holgate.

Defender Holgate was imperious at West Ham on Saturday and is going from strength to strength after muscling his way into Everton’s team back in October.

A Yorkshire native like Calvert-Lewin, the 23-year-old has been on the field for every minute of Everton‘s past 17 games.

“Mason is doing well and I have confidence in him,” added Ancelotti, who will make a late check on Holgate's fellow centre-half Michael Keane before Everton’s Newcastle clash.

“I have confidence in all three central defenders.

“Yerry Mina did well against West Ham and in the past games we did well defensively.

“Where we have to improve is to build up our play more quickly. Mason has to improve there, like Yerry Mina, but defensively they were good at the weekend.”