Richarlison says it is an honour to work for one of the world’s great coaches in Carlo Ancelotti – and the Everton manager is moulding a team in his own “competitive and smart” image.

Brazilian Richarlison signed a new contract back in December, keeping him at the Club until summer 2024, and later the same month was joined at Goodison Park by three-times Champions League winning boss Ancelotti.

The forward’s stated aim at Everton is to follow a silverware-laden path which leads to him being anointed as a “great player in the history of the Club”.

Ancelotti, also committed to Everton for at least four more years, has trodden a similar route elsewhere, piling up honours as a player and manager with various high-ranking clubs including AC Milan, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.

Employing Richarlison as a centre-forward operating in tandem with fellow 23-year-old Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Ancelotti’s bold approach has paid dividends with the pair scoring 10 goals in nine Premier League games together following the Italian’s appointment.

“I have the honour to say that I am trained by one of the best coaches ever,” Richarlison told evertonfc.com.

“Carlo is a coach who sees the game like few others and has a mentality that favours attacking and searching for victories.

“He is competitive and very smart and likes to have a team that is also that way.

“He demands the best from each player and knows how to chart the path for us to play our best.

“It is an honour to be trained by him and I have been trying to learn as much as possible every day we have been together for training or matches.”

Premier League football inched closer to a return from its coronavirus shutdown over the weekend with government approval for the resumption of competitive sport in England from today.

For Everton this means a proposed return to action between 19-22 June.

The Blues have nine games remaining and scant margin for error if they are to clamber over a handful of teams above them and into the top six positions.

Richarlison and his teammates reported back to USM Finch Farm 12 days ago and last week began limited contact training.

During more than two months away from the Club’s training facility, coaches used Zoom to oversee tactical sessions with individuals and small groups, encouraging feedback from players in keeping with Ancelotti’s democratic outlook.

Everton have won five and drawn three of Ancelotti’s 11 league matches and in the manager’s view – shared by Richarlison – only once in that period came away from a game feeling they’d not done themselves justice.

“I believe the team adapted very quickly to the manager’s style and is responding very well to his ideas and methods,” said Richarlison.

“We had some unfavourable results before the shutdown and did not play well in the match at Chelsea (where Everton were beaten in their final game before football’s suspension).

“But we are feeling better and better. Our performances are becoming more consistent with our way of playing.

“Whoever plays against our team knows they will face a very tough opponent.

“I think exchanging ideas is a very important thing in a team that wants to become stronger and more competitive.

“It’s really a great thing to be able to have this open dialogue with our staff and to contribute in some way.

“I think the conversations help all of us on the pitch and also assist our coach's decision-making.”