Carlo Ancelotti showered heaps of praise on Everton defender Ben Godfrey in his press conference on Friday.

The Toffees face Manchester United in the Premier League on Saturday at Old Trafford. Ancelotti’s side returned to winning ways in midweek against Leeds United after two disappointing results, and they will be looking to keep their winning run going.

Godfrey, who joined Everton during the summer transfer window from Norwich City for a fee of £25 million, has been really impressive for the Toffees in recent matches.

The 23-year-old has made 13 appearances in the league, including 12 starts, and has one assist to his name. He was superb against Leeds and Ancelotti has praised him highly.

The Italian boss admitted that he didn’t know much about the player when Everton signed him. However, he is happy that Everton have found a ‘really fantastic’ defender.

Ancelotti, who has coached some of the world’s best defenders ever seen in his long managerial career, feels that Godfrey has all the qualities to be a top-class player.

CA on Godfrey: "It was a surprise for me. I knew him, but not a lot. But I found a really fantastic defender. He has all the quality a defender needs. He is powerful, has a lot of energy, tactically intelligent, really aggressive, can play in different positions"

— Patrick Boyland (@Paddy_Boyland) February 5, 2021

Sportslens View 

Popular football pundit Rio Ferdinand claimed a few days ago that Godfrey is a top-tier U23 defender in Europe.

Godfrey is a pacey defender who is good at tackling and passing. The best thing about him is his anticipation – he reads the game very well.

He has looked extremely solid at the back and showcased his versatility already. When Lucas Digne was injured, Ancelotti used Godfrey in his position and he did really well.