Carlo Ancelotti says the quality and character Everton summoned to equalise twice and draw Saturday’s Merseyside derby represent important building blocks in his team’s growth.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored Everton’s second leveller with nine minutes remaining when the forward skilfully steered Lucas Digne’s cross past Adrian.

Liverpool goalkeeper Adrian was also beaten by Michael Keane’s powerful header on 19 minutes.

The away team led on three minutes when Sadio Mane rammed in from close range and regained their advantage through Mohamed Salah’s strike with 18 minutes to play.

Everton remain unbeaten and top of the embryonic Premier League table on 13 points.

And manager Ancelotti insists the test his side encountered against their city rivals this weekend will sustain them in the coming months.

“The feeling is good, we wanted to compete and we did,” Ancelotti told evertontv.

“It was a good performance, with good spirit, which was what we needed in this game.

“We showed character, we were able to equalise two times and didn’t lose confidence [either time they fell behind].

“We were down but kept fighting until the end.

“You need to have these kinds of games.

"I said to the players, we could have lost the game [playing this way] and been sad but it wouldn’t have affected our belief for this season or in this moment.

“If the performance was not good, we would have been affected.

“But the performance, in my opinion, was really good.

“We played one of the best teams in Europe and were there to fight at the same level with them, which was very important for us.

“It was a difficult game with a lot of emotion on the bench and I had some words with Jurgen [Klopp].

“But, at the end, we are really satisfied.”

Everton twice came close at 1-1, striking the post through Richarlison – who was sent off on 90 minutes – after Adrian saved from Calvert-Lewin at close quarters following another excellent cross from Digne.

Salah blasted Liverpool back in front and but for Jordan Pickford brilliantly denying Joel Matip at full-stretch Everton would have been staring at a two-goal deficit.

Pickford smothered from Mane shortly after Calvert-Lewin’s equaliser – the goalkeeper having tipped behind Trent Alexander-Arnold’s free-kick before half-time.

Calvert-Lewin scored at the end of a flowing move which saw James combine with Digne to create the striker’s seventh goal in five Premier League matches.

There was an Everton debut, too, for defender Ben Godfrey, summoned from the bench to operate out of position at right-back when Seamus Coleman was forced off injured on 31 minutes.

“Ben was fantastic, we signed him as a centre-back, not a right-back, but he has the quality to play in that position,” said Ancelotti.

“He had a little bit of a problem in the beginning when he came on the pitch but in the second half he was really good against Mane, who is a dangerous player.

“Congratulations to him. He was ready and will be ready for the future.

“The signings in the summer were really good. We were focused on this to improve.

“I think the squad improved and we are looking forward.”

Ancelotti added: “The second goal was fantastic and our set-pieces were well prepared yesterday.

“Jordan did well, it was a good performance, he was focused… good for him.”