Tuesday, 1st April, 2014
Everton manager Roberto Martinez is of the opinion that forward Steven Naismith is finally replicating the good form he produced at Kilmarnock and Rangers.
The 27-year-old, who netted a total of 68 goals for the Scottish clubs, joined the Toffees in 2012.
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But Naismith failed to hit the ground running at Goodison Park as he managed to find the back of the net just four times in his debut season in England.
However, the Scotland international has already scored seven goals in the present campaign, with his latest strike coming in his side’s 3-1 win over Fulham at the weekend.
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And Martinez, who believes Naismith is finally becoming the player which made him a hit in Scotland, explained that the forward was the driving force behind Everton’s triumph over the Cottagers.
“I think it is fair to say that in the last three months he has become the player I saw coming through at Kilmarnock and Rangers”, Martinez said in the aftermath of Sunday's win.
“When you arrive at a new football club and a new league you need time to adapt.
“Stevie is an incredible professional and you can rely on him in any circumstance.
“[On Sunday] I thought the threat that he had in the final third was the reason why we won the game.”
Naismith, whose contract with Everton runs until 2016, has 28 caps and three caps for Scotland to his name.
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