Abdoulaye Doucoure: Everton in Europa Conference League IS progress

Abdoulaye Doucoure insists finishing seventh IS an improvement for Everton… as Carlo Ancelotti’s side try to reach Europa Conference League with result against ManCity on the final day

  • Everton finished 12th last season after Ancelotti, 61, was appointed in December 
  • They are now guaranteed a top-half spot and could qualify for European football 
  • And Doucoure admitted the new Europa Conference League would be a step up 

Taking a spot in the new Europa Conference League may feel like a booby prize, but Everton midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure is not thinking that way.

The Toffees have been in and around the European places all season and while their Champions League dream may be over, Doucoure believes that finishing seventh would represent good progress for Carlo Ancelotti’s side.

To do that, they must get a result at champions Manchester City this afternoon and better what Tottenham do at top-four chasing Leicester and if they only draw, hope Arsenal fail to beat Brighton at home in order to claim that last European spot.

Everton’s Abdoulaye Doucoure has insisted finishing in seventh is an improvement for his side

Toffees are guaranteed a top-half spot and could qualify for new Europa Conference League

‘To get in the Europa Conference League would be a good step for us as we have not been in Europe for so long,’ admits Doucoure.

‘Then next year we can work even harder to be more serious challengers to get in the Europa League or maybe the Champions League.

‘If we finish eighth or tenth, people will say we have not made progress. But if we finish seventh, then you can say we have made an improvement.

Everton have largely struggled at Goodison Park in the absence of fans for much of this season

But Doucoure, 28, stated Carlo Ancelotti’s side reaching European football would be progress

‘A club like Everton has to play in Europe every year, but this was a difficult season with some new players coming in and next year will be better. But to be seventh would be a good season.’

In a largely spectator-less season, the Toffees have been more affected than most suffering nine defeats at Goodison, losing to the likes of Fulham, Burnley and Sheffield United.

But they have been far better on their travels with 11 wins, including at Tottenham, Liverpool and Arsenal. 

Nonetheless, it will be something special to take a 12th scalp if they can overcome the Champions on the day they receive the Premier League trophy.

He added: ‘The biggest thing is to improve in the home games because we lost too many games to teams who finished behind us. We won at Tottenham in the first game and after that we had the confidence to play away.

‘City are the best team in the world right now, so it is going to be tough. But we know we are going to have chances against them as we saw them lose at Brighton, so it can be possible, and of course we are going to give everything.’




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