Carlo Ancelotti says Everton’s victory over West Ham United on Sunday lit a fire under his team’s European ambitions.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin struck the only goal of the game at London Stadium to earn Everton an 11^th away win of the season.

Any other result, insisted Ancelotti, and Everton would have waved goodbye to their chances of a top-six Premier League finish.

The manager paid tribute to his players’ “attitude and spirit and concentration and motivation” in the capital.

Calvert-Lewin’s goal, the Englishman’s 16^th in the league this term, was the work of a “top-class striker”, according to his manager.

Everton are two points behind Liverpool in sixth and one further adrift of fifth-placed West Ham with four games remaining, starting with a visit to Aston Villa on Thursday.

“It was a vital victory, if we didn’t win here, we were out of the fight for Europe,” said Ancelotti.

“It was necessary to have a result here.

“There was pressure on the game.

“We managed the game well, playing defensively at the top, really good, and dangerous on the counter-attack.

“The attitude and spirit and concentration and motivation were really high.

“The players know it will be vital against Aston Villa, we have to be ready, to prepare to feel the game.

“It was important to feel how important the game was today.

“We are still in the fight, there are only four games but we can fight.”

Everton were content to concede possession to West Ham and attack through the pace and directness of the front two of Richarlison and Calvert-Lewin.

Jordan Pickford in goal didn’t face a single shot on target, the closest West Ham came to scoring a strike against the post from Vladimir Coufal after 61 minutes.

Richarlison forced Lukasz Fabianski into a smart first-half stop and substitute Joshua King headed against the woodwork in the closing minutes.

But it was Calvert-Lewin, with his only clear sight of goal, who provided the decisive contribution.

The 24-year-old ran onto a pass from Ben Godfrey and clinically drilled across Fabianski for a 21^st goal of the season.

“I think the goal he scored today is one of a top striker,” said Ancleotti.

“When a striker prepares their movement, moves at the right time with speed and is cold in front of the goalkeeper.

“It was a fantastic goal in this sense.

“Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison did fantastic work defensively, and I asked them to play vertical to attack at the back [of West Ham] and they did that a lot of the time.

“When West Ham conceded the goal they put a lot of players in front and players between the lines.

“We covered well the positions in between.

“The performance was good but all the times we won away, it was from this kind of performance.”

Everton’s victory was a convincing response to a home defeat by Aston Villa in their most recent game eight days ago.

There is a chance to avenge that loss by Villa in four days.

But the priority for Ancelotti – who insisted he won’t be getting caught up in results elsewhere during the run-in – is for Everton to show they can perform without needing their tail tweaked for motivation.

“After defeats, we reacted really well, a lot of times,” said Ancelotti.

“Now we want to act, not have a reaction.

“It is a vital game [against Aston Villa] and we have to be ready.

“We are not focused on the other teams, we are focused on our games, to try to get as many points as possible.

“We have four difficult games and I don’t care what the other teams do.

“The competitiveness of the Premier League is top, at the height, and will be until the final games.”