Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho has spoken of his admiration for Everton counterpart Carlo Ancelotti.

Spurs host Everton on Monday night in a vital fixture in the race for European qualification which sees two of the elite managers of the last 20 years come head-to-head for the first time in the Premier League.

"I think everyone in football admires Carlo as a coach and as a person," he said. "If you don't know him as a person, at least you know him as a coach.

"It's not because I like him so much as a person that I'm going to say the obvious, which is: he's one of the top managers in the world of the last two decades and of course now.

"I think it's a privilege for the Premier League to have Carlo back, it's a privilege for Everton to have Carlo as manager, or head coach, whatever way you want to call him.

"As a manager we all know him, and we don't need to speak of him, because his office in his house, I don't know if it's the house in Milan or London or Liverpool but some office in one of his houses is full of cups so he doesn't need anyone to speak about Carlo.

"As a person I had the privilege to know him for a few years, to stay and be with him a few times in UEFA meetings in some different occasions and I just love Carlo.

"I think he's a fantastic guy. I think I'm going to break the rules. Now is one-metre distance. I'm going to break the rules and I'm going to hug him because I like Carlo very much."