Jordan Pickford insists Everton move has not turned sour and rejects idea of relegation scrap: 'We won't struggle'

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Jordan Pickford insists his dream move to Everton has not turned sour and has predicted their stay in the relegation zone will soon be over.

The 23-year-old has been the one true success from the club's £150million summer recruitment drive with his form carrying him into Gareth Southgate's squad for England's forthcoming friendlies against Germany and Brazil.

Having spent last season mired in the bottom three with Sunderland, Pickford expected a change of club to herald a change of fortunes but, once again, he is keeping goal for a team whose immediate priority is to get out of trouble.

Jordan Pickford insists he is enjoying his new life at Everton despite their poor start

Pickford left a dressing room that was devoid of confidence and belief but for all the troubles Everton have endured in recent months - the low point coming with Ronald Koeman's sacking - he maintains there is no possibility of him enduring back-to-back relegation battles.

'We're not a club that is going to be a club that is the bottom three for long,' said Pickford. 'It's a total different scenario for myself from last season. I think one win will get us to 13th. 

'That one win can become back-to-back wins. That is where the confidence grows and it starts against Watford.

'It's too early, really (to start panicking). We have had a bad lot of games at the start. 

'I love playing games week in week out but it has been a change with the Europa League and the season starting early. That may have affected us but we can't make excuses as a group of lads.

Everton were sent into the bottom three of the Premier League after defeat the Leicester

David Unsworth will once again take charge of Everton for a clash with Watford this weekend

'We have to just move forward, dig in, grit our teeth and get the win. That is when the young lads now become big characters when they wear their hearts on their sleeves in the games. We won't be struggling.'

David Unsworth will once again take charge of Everton for a clash with Watford that has assumed huge importance; club officials will continue to discuss their options through the international break as they look to find Koeman's successor.

The caretaker manager, though, has made a big impression on the squad and Pickford hopes the team can win for the first time since September for Unsworth, saying: 'He's come in and done great. He has been straight to the point with us and trying to make us a tight unit.'