Everton and Watford’s relationship has turned quite sour since the Blues pursued the Hornet’s manager Marco Silva in November 2017 and then appointing him as their manager in May 2018. A couple of months after the appointment, Watford submitted a complaint to the Premier League, claiming Everton made an illegal approach for Silva. Watford also stopped playing Z Cars in the last few weeks of the 2018/19 season and replaced it with I’m Still Standing by Elton John. (The theme was then brought back in the first game of the 2019/20 season against Brighton.) Everton subsequently paid Watford compensation of £4m. The Watford fans showed their disapproval of Marco Silva by bringing rubber snakes to the clubs’ first meeting since Silva’s appointment as Everton manager the following December.
The relationship between the clubs is in tatters, and there is a bit of acrimony between the fan bases as well. However, there was a time when Everton fans and Watford fans had a fraternal friendship.