EVERTON MAY LOSE POINTS

EVERTON face a potential points deduction as they work on replacing manager Sam Allardyce with Marco Silva. With Allardyce set to go this week after meeting owner Farhad Moshiri today, the club want to press on with hiring former Watford boss Silva. But Sportsmail understands that Watford have gone to Premier League arbitration, accusing Everton of making an unwarranted approach for Silva last season. They blamed Everton for unsettling the 40-year-old Portuguese when they sacked him in January. Everton realise that hiring Silva (right) would leave them open to sanctions that could even include a points deduction and hope to resolve the dispute. Recent talks, attended by Everton chairman Bill Kenwright, failed to bring an agreement but the club want further discussions before they appoint Silva. Silva must also settle his own legal dispute with Watford after being accused of an alleged breach of contract. Everton’s failure to lure Silva last year saw them turn to Allardyce, who was last night honoured by the League Managers Association for reaching 1,000 league games in charge. Allardyce guided Everton to eighth and will be due £2million in bonuses for keeping them in the top flight plus a slice of his £6m-a-year contract. A seven-figure fee for Silva on the back of hefty pay-offs for Roberto Martinez and Ronald Koeman could take Moshiri’s severance payments to £20m in two years.