Tuesday 14 November 2017 20:04, UK
Everton continue to be frustrated in their search for a new manager with two of the leading candidates - Sam Allardyce and Marco Silva - now appearing to be out of the running, Sky Sports News understands.
The Goodison Park club sacked Ronald Koeman nearly a month ago and caretaker boss David Unsworth's chances of remaining in charge until the end of the season continue to improve.
Sky Sports News understands any chance of Allardyce becoming the replacement for Ronald Koeman disappeared over the weekend when the former England manager said he was no longer interested in the role.
Renewed contact between the two parties was made on Sunday but Allardyce felt the contract on offer from the Merseyside club - running only until the end of the season - was not enough to tempt him out of retirement.
Everton made contact with Watford for a second time on Monday morning, which included details of the compensation they were willing to pay, only to be told that Silva would not be allowed to talk to them and would be staying at Vicarage Road.
Sky Sports News understands Silva would be interested in talking to Everton but 40-year old's two-year contract does not include a break clause and consequently, their efforts to secure his services have been brought to an end.
A spokesman for Watford told Sky Sports News: "We will not countenance an approach for our manager, either from Everton or indeed any other club, be it in the Premier League or abroad."
We also understand there has not been any contact between Everton and Burnley over Sean Dyche, who was the early favourite to replace Koeman.
Koeman was relieved of his duties in October, with Unsworth taking over in a caretaker role, and he remains in contention to take over in the longer-term with no timescale having been put on Everton's search.
Unsworth's side ended a run of bad form just before the international break when they came from 2-1 down to beat Silva's Watford 3-2 at Goodison Park.
That result lifted the Toffees out of the Premier League's bottom three into 15th ahead of Saturday's crunch clash with bottom side Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.
