Gray makes Silva blue...

AWAY from the glare of the cameras, the question was finally put to Marco Silva. After three consecutive defeats, this one served up by Andre Gray on a punishing return to Watford, is the Everton manager starting to feel the pressure? The answer never came. Instead Silva headed back towards the dressing room. Silva is not responsible for all of Everton’s ills but under majority owner Farhad Moshiri, they have spent almost £300million. Now they can’t score or defend set-pieces. Lack of confidence is an issue, but so is the lack of a top-class striker. That can’t be solved in the two weeks before Everton face Cardiff, but the break will serve as a welcome respite, provided Silva makes it that far.

WATFORD (4-4-2): Foster 6.5; Janmaat 6, Mariappa 6, CATHCART 7, Holebas 6.5; Sema 5 (Gray 46min, 6.5), Doucoure 5.5, Capoue 6, Hughes 6.5 (Chalobah 90); Deulofeu 5 (Cleverley 81), Deeney 6. Subs not used: Gomes, Masina, Penaranda, Kabasele. Scorer: Gray 65. Booked: Deeney, Holebas. Man: Javi Gracia 6.5.

EVERTON (4-2-3-1): Pickford 6.5; Kenny 6, Digne 6.5, Keane 6, Zouma 5; Gueye 6, Gomes 5.5 (Walcott 63, 6); Davies 6.5, Sigurdsson 6 (Calvert-Lewin, 74), Richarlison 5.5 (Bernard 66, 6.5); Tosun 5.5. Subs not used: Stekelenburg, McCarthy, Coleman, Lookman. Sent off: Zouma.

Man: Marco Silva 5.5. Ref: L Probert 6. Att: 20,333