BREAKING: Watford blame Everton as they sack manager, Marco Silva

Watford have sacked manager Marco Silva, blaming Everton’s approach for the Portuguese in November as the “catalyst for this decision”.

The Hornets have won one of their last 11 Premier League games and are 10th in the table, five points above relegation after Saturday’s 2-0 loss at Leicester.

In a statement, Watford said they were “convinced” that 40-year-old Silva’s appointment in May “was the right one” and, without “the unwarranted approach” they would have “continued to prosper under his leadership”.

The statement added: “This has been a difficult decision and one not taken lightly.

“The catalyst for this decision is that unwarranted approach, something which the board believes has seen a significant deterioration in both focus and results to the point where the long-term future of Watford has been jeopardised.”

The club now hope to make a “swift appointment”.

Silva has become the eighth Premier League manager to lose his job this season following changes at Crystal Palace, Everton, Leicester City, Stoke, Swansea, West Brom and West Ham.

What happened around Everton’s approach for Silva?

Dutchman Ronald Koeman was sacked by Everton on 23 October – less than 24 hours after a 5-2 home defeat by Arsenal left them in the Premier League relegation zone. That was despite spending £140m in the summer.

Everton were understood to be willing to pay about £10m in compensation for Silva, who signed a two-year contract with Watford in the summer after leaving relegated Hull City at the end of last season.

At the time, Silva declined to pledge his long-term future to Watford both before and after the home win against West Ham United on 19 November – but the Hornets still made it clear they were unwilling to release

At the time of the approach by Everton, Silva said: “I don’t want to talk about Everton. It’s not where I work. It’s a big club, nothing more.”

He later said that the speculation was “not a problem” for him and that “this type of interest in players and coaches happens but it is not fair to question our commitment”.

Under-23 coach David Unsworth spent five weeks in temporary charge before Sam Allardyce was eventually appointed on 30 November.

Silva in stats

• Watford have the worst record in the Premier League from the last 11 games, having taken just five points from 33.
• Marco Silva won six of his 18 games in charge of Hull in the Premier League (33% win rate), compared to seven in 24 while in charge of Watford (29% win rate).
• After losing just one of his first eight Premier League games in charge of Watford, Marco Silva saw his side beaten 11 times in their following 16 games.
• Watford have won just once in their last 11 Premier League games, failing to keep a clean sheet in each match – their longest run without a shutout since October 2016 (12 games).
• Under Silva, Watford have kept just five clean sheets in the Premier League this term – only Bournemouth (4) and Stoke (3) have kept fewer in the competition.

SOURCE : BBC