Carlo Ancelotti wants Everton to show “more personality” in possession following a draw with Southampton which dented the Blues' European ambitions.

Manager Ancelotti conceded his side were short of control and intensity during the opening half and was grateful for the “fantastic” Richarlison’s composure in front of goal drawing Everton level shortly before the break.

Southampton led on 31 minutes at Goodison Park when Danny Ings turned into an empty net after skilfully controlling a mis-hit shot from Stuart Armstrong.

Visiting midfielder James Ward-Prowse struck the bar with a penalty when the game was goalless.

Everton improved after the break but ahead of Sunday’s visit to Wolverhampton Wanderers trail seventh-placed Sheffield United by six points with time to close that deficit running out.

“We need more personality when we have the ball,” Ancelotti told evertontv.

“We miss easy passes with the quality the players have.

“With more personality, you cannot miss.

“It was a difficult game and we didn’t perform so well.

“The first half was not good, we lost a lot of fights for second balls.

 
“The second half was better… we started well and had some good chances.

“We were more in control.

“But in the end we lost a little bit of energy.

“In the first half, we left too much space in the middle of the pitch.

“After half-time, we tried to cover that area and Southampton didn’t have the opportunities they had in the first half.

“The goal we scored was fantastic, a fantastic pass and fantastic finish.

“But to win this game we needed more intensity and more control.”

Ancelotti made one half-time change, replacing Alex Iwobi – whose stinging 22nd-minute shot was kept out by Southampton goalkeeper Alex McCarthy – with Djibril Sidibe.

Andre Gomes, whose challenge on Ward-Prowse led to Southampton’s 28th-minute penalty, was forced off on 41 minutes with what Ancelotti called a “knock on the ankle", with Gyfli Sigurdsson introduced in the Portuguese's place.

Everton altered their shape to gain a foothold in midfield and restricted their opponents to half-chances in the second 45 minutes.

Richarlison carried Everton’s biggest threat and might have added to his first-half strike had he not been felled by defender Jan Bednarek when racing towards goal.

The goal Richarlison did score came from a fabulous, raking Lucas Digne pass, which the Brazilian controlled and finished in one graceful movement.

Ancelotti, however, felt his side’s push for a winner was hampered by their lack of recovery time following Monday’s game at Tottenham Hotspur.

Everton face a similarly tight turnaround before tackling Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux on Sunday lunchtime.

“Today we were a little bit tired because we played on Monday,” added Ancelotti.

“We had one day less recovery [than Southampton, who last played on Sunday].

“It will be difficult again to play at midday on Sunday.

“We cannot come into these games with 100 per cent energy.

“But we have to be intelligent and smart and defend well, as we did in the second half.

“We can’t open the pitch when you have two days recovery.

“You have to control the pitch and the space where you want to play.

“In the second half ,we started to win more second balls, we were fighting and had more control.

“Southampton played better than us but the result was quite fair.

“We have more difficulties [to qualify for Europe] now but we have to still believe there is a chance.

“In these final four games we have to keep fighting until the end.”

On Richarlison, who has 12 Premier League goals this season, Ancelotti added: “He is a fantastic striker, really smart and cold in front goal.

“I am happy to have him.”