Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti insists his players will continue to celebrate goals with each other until the Premier League orders them to stop.
There has been increased scrutiny placed on football in the light of increasing rates of Covid-19 infection across the country, with clubs being told to strengthen protocols within stadia and training grounds.
However, there have still been questions raised after scenes in the FA Cup over the weekend with mass teams celebrations on the field and in dressing rooms.
Ancelotti said his club were doing everything by the book and there was nothing to prevent his players enjoying scoring goals.
“Honestly, there is no rule that says you are not allowed to celebrate,” he said.
“We are really strict to follow the rules that the Premier League have put in place, to follow the protocols, and if the Premier League say you don’t have to celebrate, you don’t have to hug, we’re not going to celebrate.”
A laughing Ancelotti then joked: “Or we don’t score goals and that would be better, no? If you don’t score a goal, you don’t have to celebrate.”
He may not be laughing so much at Wolves on Tuesday as he is without leading scorer Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who has a hamstring injury.
Fellow forward Richarlison will also have to prove his fitness in training, which leaves Ancelotti the prospect of having to again play Cenk Tosun, fresh from his first goal for the club since November 2019 against Rotherham on Saturday.
Playmaker James Rodriguez is the club’s second-highest Premier League scorer with just three with Richarlison and Gylfi Sigurdsson finding the net twice.
Two centre-backs, Michael Keane and Yerry Mina (both two), have outscored every other player and, having focused on tightening up the defence in the last month, Ancelotti may have to open things up once more.
“Calvert-Lewin is unavailable. Hamstring problem. I think soon he can recover,” added the Italian.
“He had a little problem during the week before West Ham, but for the fact he has never had this kind of injury he was not able to judge himself at 100 per cent.
“He played the game against West Ham, which means it is not a really important injury, but we want to keep him safe and, when he comes back, to be 100 per cent.
“Without an important player like Dominic we have to be able to replace him in a different way. We have to adapt to this.
“For sure we will be less dangerous on crosses, but maybe we can be more dangerous with the final pass.”
