Cuco Martina says Everton’s players are united in their determination to improve the Toffees’ away form – starting with Saturday’s trip to Watford.

Defender Martina has been one of the mainstays of the Blues’ revival under Sam Allardyce, playing every minute of Premier League football since the manager’s appointment back in November.

As such, the 28-year-old was part of the Everton side which enjoyed a brief resurgence in its fortunes on the road immediately after Allardyce took charge.

Draws at Liverpool and West Bromwich Albion sandwiched a 1-0 victory at Newcastle United – only the Toffees’ second away win in 2017 – as Everton claimed five points from the first three away games of Allardyce’s reign.

Defeats at Spurs and Arsenal have since followed in results the Blues boss called "unacceptable" - but Martina says the Toffees can get back on track away from home. A visit to Burnley – two points and two places ahead of the ninth-placed Blues – follows hot on the heels of this weekend’s encounter against a Watford side that demolished champions Chelsea on its last home outing.

Everton were last in action a fortnight ago, when they confidently beat Crystal Palace 3-1 at Goodison on a day when defender Martina served up an inviting cross for Oumar Niasse to head in the Blues’ second goal. That victory propelled the Toffees onto the coattails of Leicester City and Burnley directly above them, a far cry from the state of play on the eve of Allardyce's official unveiling, when Everton boasted only a two-point buffer to the bottom three.

“We had a really great win against Crystal Palace – but now we need to focus on Watford, and we know we can beat them there,” Martina told evertontv.

“We know our away form has not been good and we need to start to change that now. We are working hard and training hard and we think we will start [to improve away results] with this game.

“Of course, we need to focus and stay clear. Everybody needs to think in the same way – and, if we do that, I think we can still achieve good things this season.

“Watford are doing well at home. They have some great players and a great squad. We know it will be difficult but we trust in our squad and know we can beat them.”

Martina, who is preparing to start his 15th Premier League match on the spin, could potentially be pitted into a direct duel with former Blue Gerard Deulofeu at Vicarage Road.

Spain international winger Deulofeu scored eight goals in 75 appearances across two spells with Everton. The 23-year-old, who spent the 2013/14 campaign on loan at Goodison, and then returned for two years between 2015-17, is part of a pacey, inventive and mobile Watford forward line, which also includes among its number the Brazilian Richarlison – a scorer in the reverse fixture at Goodison back in November, when Everton overturned a 2-0 deficit to win 3-2.

“Richarlison is a really great player,” said Martina. “He is fast and really strong and he makes some good, good actions.

“I played against Deulofeu when I was at Southampton [in a 1-1 Goodison Park draw in April 2016] and I know his way of playing. It will be fun.

"I study who I will be playing against – I can ask one of the staff to help me to select some clips of the player, or at home I will study him on my computer.

“That helps me a lot, because you know what you are doing, and the types of runs your opponent makes.”

Martina has been plugging the left-back spot vacated by Leighton Baines, with the Toffees’ 30-cap England international out of action for the past three months with a calf injury.

Allardyce disclosed at his pre-match press conference that 33-year-old Baines has trained for the past 10 days and is closing on a return to first-team duties.

Curacao international Martina is pleased to see his teammate on the verge of a comeback – and revealed Baines is one of a number of Everton players who have taken time to help natural right-back Martina adjust to operating on the left side of defence.

“I learn a lot from different players,” said Martina. “I talk to a lot of the experienced players. Wayne Rooney is helping me. And Gylfi Sigurdsson, Leighton and Seamus Coleman. Phil Jagielka as well.

“They are helping me a lot. Especially because it is difficult for me – I am right footed and playing left-back.

“Leighton Baines is a different level. He is one of the best left-backs I have played with. With his experience he can teach me a lot.

“Everyone knows he is the number one left-back. But I can still push him.”