Carlo Ancelotti says the relative luxury of eight days between matches will produce a reinvigorated Everton for Saturday’s FA Cup third round meeting with Rotherham United.

Everton’s New Year’s Day loss to West Ham United at Goodison Park – a game which saw the return from injury of James Rodriguez – drew a line under a five-match unbeaten Premier League run.

And Ancelotti is calling on recent memories to inspire a strong reaction to that setback, with six league games crammed into three-and-a-half weeks after the Rotherham tie.

Everton won four and drew one of five Premier League matches following a single-goal home defeat by Leeds United in November.

That 13-point return lifted Ancelotti’s side up to second at one stage. Everton currently sit sixth but are separated from top spot by only four points, with a visit to Wolverhampton Wanderers on 12 January the next league fixture.

Asked if he wanted a response to match the one summoned after the Leeds game, Ancelotti – whose team have claimed more than half of their 29 points away from home – said: “Yes, this season away we are really strong, we are top.

“We had more difficulties at home.

“With the crowd, we wouldn’t lose all three games against Manchester United (Premier League match in November), Leeds and West Ham.

“But, maybe, we wouldn’t have won five away.

“We have to work [in the days between West Ham and Rotherham]. 

“It will be an important time for us to recover and put in better condition all the players who didn’t train a lot in the past period – James and Richarlison and Lucas Digne, who will be back soon.

“It is important to have James back… he didn’t train a lot and played only 30 minutes against West Ham.

“He needs to improve his condition and he will be in better in the next games.”

Ancelotti confessed his side didn’t possess enough of their customary zip to claim they deserved the three points against West Ham which would have Everton in the top four of today’s standings.

He pointed to another robust defensive effort nonetheless as reason why Everton could feel aggrieved at not taking one point from the game.

Everton have conceded only three goals in their past six Premier League games.

The goal scored by Tomas Soucek for West Ham was the first surrendered in open play since Burnley’s Robbie Brady netted against Everton at the beginning of that period back on 5 December.

After letting in 17 goals in their opening 10 games, the renewed solidity is notable.

Everton have come off the throttle in front of goal, however.

After scoring 19 times in those opening 10 fixtures, the following six games have yielded seven goals.

And Ancelotti, whose team played West Ham behind closed doors following three home games when 2,000 fans were inside Goodison, admits he is still searching for the ideal balance between defence and attack.

“In the last period we had games where we defended most and were comfortable and used the counter-attack,” said the Italian.

“West Ham was a different game. Defensively we were good but we had more difficulties with the ball.

“We started slowly from the back [building-up play]. We didn’t find possibilities between the lines and lost a lot of duels one against one – when you don’t find possibilities between lines you can find yourself one against one.

“In that aspect we were not at the top [level].

“A draw would have been fair, we conceded practically nothing and a lucky deflection [the ball diverted off Yerry Mina for Soucek to score] allowed them to win.

“We were a little bit slow in front, we didn’t find solutions in the final third or create a lot of opportunities.

“And it made a lot of difference having no supporters, 2,000 people help us a lot.”