Watford’s increasingly acrimonious dispute with Everton over Marco Silva could go to a Premier League arbitration panel. The Goodison Park club are refusing to pay compensation to their Premier League rivals and have accused them of having made an illegal approach to the Portuguese coach when he was manager of Hull City last year.

Everton claim to have evidence that Watford sent Silva a draft contract to become their manager when he was still working for Hull, which, if proven, could be a breach of Premier League rules. Watford contend that there was a release clause in Silva’s contract at Hull allowing him to speak to other clubs following their relegation to the Championship last season so are confident of their position.

Watford made a