Everton re-contact Sam Allardyce over manager role after failure to lure Watford's Marco Silva

Everton have re-initiated contact with Sam Allardyce after failing to lure Marco Silva away from Watford, The Independent understands.

Allardyce was keen to discuss the vacancy at Goodison Park but the Toffees decided to look elsewhere after making initial contact with the former England and Crystal Palace boss earlier this month.

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The Eagles would be due a compensation payment in the region of £2m if Allardyce were to become Ronald Koeman’s replacement due to an agreement made when Palace allowed him out of his contract in May.

David Unsworth has been in interim charge since Koeman’s dismissal and it was hoped that he could revive the club’s fortunes and perhaps succeed the Dutchman after being promoted from the Under-23 job.

But results have failed to improve and the former defender called for clarity over the managerial situation on Sunday as a listless Everton side were thrashed 4-1 by Southampton.

“The club need to appoint someone as quickly as possible,” he said. "If it’s me, great. If it’s not, I will shake the man by the hand and wish him all the luck in the world.”

Asked if the club was in crisis, he replied: “I wouldn’t use the word crisis. I think we’re in a really tough moment. I think we need to stand firm, we’ve had a lot of away games against decent opposition. We’ve now got two massive games coming up at Goodison and they will be key.”