Everton can make a statement against City – Naismith

Steven Naismith regards Sunday’s showdown with Manchester City as an opportunity for Everton to “show where we are at”.

Roberto Martinez’s side produced a superb away-day performance to triumph 3-0 at Southampton last time out, but are likely to face a sterner test from high-flying City.

The 2013-14 Premier League winners have scored six goals without reply in their opening two games, including a 3-0 victory over defending champions Chelsea last weekend.

But Scotland international Naismith insists confidence is high in Everton’s dressing room ahead of City’s visit to Goodison Park, telling the club’s official website: “We are going into each game believing we can win.

“Maybe our confidence took a wee knock last season with the amount of games and how thick and fast they were coming.

“It’s a good opportunity to show where we are at, and we are a confident team that can pass the ball and see the weaknesses in other teams.”

Everton finished 11th last season, accumulating 25 fewer points than in the previous campaign, when they came fifth, and Naismith believes the signs are promising of a return to the kind of form they showed in Martinez’s maiden term at the helm.

He added: “We want to get back to the way we were in the first season when we were not thinking too much about which pass to play and where to play.

“It was more of play what you see and play with freedom. In the Southampton game we definitely showed that.”