Toffees first choice left-back Lucas Digne has been sidelined with an injury, leaving that position in the first team up for grabs, but Ancelotti is yet to deploy Nkounkou in place of the 27-year-old.
Instead of replacing Digne with another recognised left-back in Nkounkou, the Italian chose to go to three centre-backs in the backline with Alex Iwobi and Tom Davies playing as wing-backs in Everton’s last top flight outing, against Leeds United.
The Italian explained that Nkounkou’s was absent from the matchday squad last weekend because he opted to play more experienced players in defence rather than giving a chance to the 20-year-old.
However, the Everton boss has vowed Nkounkou will be handed more game time in the coming weeks with the Toffees set for busy spell on the pitch in December.
“Nkounkou was not in the squad because I had eleven players, I put Iwobi on the left”, Ancelotti told a press conference.
“He’s still young, he needs more experience.
“He needs to work more.
“He will have time in the next game because we have a lot of games.”
Everton’s busy run of games in December will start with a top flight clash away at Burnley at the weekend and it remains to be seen whether Nkounkou will be amongst the names making the trip to Turf Moor.
