Watford boss Marco Silva has dismissed claims Everton's past interest is the cause of their form slide.

Silva was heavily linked with the manager's job at Goodison Park last month before Everton appointed Sam Allardyce, but he believes the two factors are not connected and feels injuries and suspensions have been the main issue behind Watford's dip in form.

"It doesn't make sense this comparison. Nothing changed in the club," Silva said after defeat to Brighton. "Today we had one game to prepare with three players banned, with five or six players injured. At this moment we have big problems to find the solutions for our starting XI.

"We need to find these solutions as soon as possible because it's a lot of games in a row and it's not easy to make the rotation, it's not easy to start the game with our best XI.

"Of course, it's not an excuse because the players that played this afternoon, they have quality as well and it's the moment for them to show it. Now is the moment for us to react as a team."

Silva refused to blame goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes for Pascal Gross' winner.

"It's football - what Gomes did until now, he was very, very good in a very good level," Silva added. "In some moments, he saved and did fantastic things for our team.

"I'm clear, it's not because of Gomes that we lost the game. We didn't perform well today. We didn't score and they won."