Watford fans' SNAKE protest at former boss Marco Silva

Watford fans will taunt Marco Silva with inflatable snakes at Goodison Park on Monday.

Travelling fans are set to take the objects to wave at Silva, who was sacked by Watford in January with the Hornets suggesting he had been illegally approached by Everton.

That remains the subject of a Premier League inquiry and means feelings will be running high as Silva faces his former club for the first time.

There is likely to be tension in the boardroom and the rivalry may spill onto the pitch, with Watford captain Troy Deeney vowing to “smash” former Hornets team-mate Richarlison.

Watford allowed Richarlison to follow Silva to Everton in the summer for a fee which could reach £50million.

Deeney says the 21-year-old Brazilian will be the “enemy” tonight. He added: “I was not disappointed [when he left] because business-wise it was a no-brainer for the money. You can see his potential daily, his enthusiasm for football is up there and he is now getting the Brazil team looking at him.”

Silva has looked to play down the significance of his first meeting with his former club. He said: “The first day I joined Everton, I said the past is not important to talk about.”

Watford will be without Etienne Capoue after their second attempt to get the midfielder’s three-game ban overturned was unsuccessful.

Capoue was sent off for a dangerous tackle on Kelechi Iheanacho at Leicester last weekend and Watford challenged a decision to uphold the ban via arbitration under FA rules. But that failed and the three-game suspension has been upheld. Watford said: “We remain extremely disappointed at the process and this decision but now consider the matter closed.”

Capoue will also miss Watford’s game against Cardiff and West Ham. Nathaniel Chalobah is set to continue alongside Abdoulaye Doucoure in midfield.

Watford are 13th in the table after five games without a win stretching back to October. Deeney expects there to be a fiery atmosphere tonight.

“We know what is coming,” he said. “We know when we get there it will be hostile. They will give us grief and we expect that.”