Yerry Mina says Everton’s 11-day wait to face Watford provides a valuable opportunity to soak up instructions from manager Carlo Ancelotti.

Italian Ancelotti walked into a jam-packed schedule following his appointment in December and took charge of seven games in 27 days after starting with a 1-0 Boxing Day victory over Burnley.

There was brief respite in the form of clear weeks before Premier League games against Brighton & Hove Albion and West Ham United this month.

Ancelotti nevertheless conceded it was necessary to primarily operate game-to-game during his first month in the job.

But Tuesday’s Goodison Park draw with Newcastle United drew a line under a relentless period, with Everton next in action when they travel to Vicarage Road on 1 February.

Colombian centre-half Mina has played from the beginning in five of Ancelotti’s matches as boss – and started 24 games in all competitions this term.

“We’ve not had a huge number of hours on the training field with the new manager, but what we are doing, during the time we have with him, is trying to adapt and take on board everything he asks,” said Mina.

“We take every opportunity each day in training to make sure we do what the manager wants from us.

“In the past [since Mina signed in summer 2018] the training sessions have always been very hard and pretty intense and it is no different now.

“One change, maybe, is that we’re working more often on smaller sided games, on reduced sized pitches.

“It’s all about trying to obey the orders of the coach, carrying out and implementing what he asks.

“The effort and hours you put in on the training ground influence your performances on the field.

“It is important to work hard and show a lot of intensity in every training session, then we can recreate that in games.”

Mina’s debut Everton season following his arrival from Barcelona was disrupted by a handful of niggling injuries.

He featured 15 times and counted a six-game run in November and December as his longest unbroken period of action.

Following a splendid 2019 Copa America tournament with his country, however – Colombia did not concede a goal in Mina's three games – the 25-year-old returned to establish himself as a cornerstone of Everton’s backline.

His renewed fortunes have contributed to Mina feeling wholly settled at Goodison Park in his second season.

Equally, Mina admits he is buoyed by a return of 16 points from Everton’s past nine games – a spell which included three clean sheets.

The South American, though, acknowledges Everton need a sustained run of productive form to emerge from the scrum of teams chasing Manchester United in fifth – and, over the long haul, deliver the success Evertonians crave.

“The simple fact that I manage to defend well, and we keep a clean sheet, makes everyone happy and helps me feel settled,” said Mina.

“It’s trying to do your little bit, so if the team can win, pick up good results and win trophies, it is going to please everyone.

"Our objective is to be a team that consistently wins matches."

Mina added: “I’m a real football person, I live and breathe football, I really feel for the game.

“I get the sense here that the fans really love their football, and feel for their football, just as much as I do. I’m a terrible loser, I have a winning mentality.

“So I’m just the worst company, if we lose, I just go and shut myself away at home.

“I really go through matches in great detail, I like to watch not just the Match of the Day summaries, but every detail of a game, to see where I could improve, if I’ve made a mistake or whatever.

"I live for football. And I think that’s because in my family we’re all footballers or football fans.”