Ancelotti: It's 'almost impossible' to compete with Manchester City

Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti expects Manchester City to collect their third Premier League title in four seasons after Pep Guardiola's side comfortably beat The Toffees on Wednesday.

The Merseyside club restored parity through Richarlison after Phil Foden's opener for the visitors, but City completed a 3-1 win in the second stanza courtesy of goals from Riyad Mahrez and Bernardo Silva.

City sit 10 points clear atop the Premier League table.

"I think so, it is really difficult to say another name," Ancelotti said when asked if Everton had just lost to the eventual champions, according to BBC Sport's Neil Johnston.

"It was hard, almost impossible," he said. "At the moment they are the best team, they have quality, power, belief. It is very difficult to compete with them."

He added: "We are not on the same level."

Rather than the attacking quality that has defined much of City's success in recent years, Guardiola has built his latest team on a solid defensive foundation. The Mancunian outfit has conceded just 15 goals through 24 league matches - more than half of the amount of second-placed Manchester United.

City have won 17 straight games across all competitions and trailed only one team, fourth-tier Cheltenham Town, in their past 24 matches. They ended up winning that FA Cup fourth-round encounter, 3-1.

Everton take on the reigning Premier League champions and their nearby rivals, Liverpool, on Saturday. Manchester City travel to Arsenal a day later.