Injury and suspension problems frustrating Silva

Everton manager Marco Silva admits injuries have prevented him making the progress he would have hoped since taking over in the summer.

At one stage this week the Toffees had 11 first-team players unavailable through suspension and fitness issues, although that number has since been reduced by the return to training of Theo Walcott, Idrissa Gana Gueye, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Bernard.

A red card for Phil Jagielka in the opening game of the season instantly disrupted Silva's back four while Richarlison's dismissal at Bournemouth curtailed the £40million summer signing's impressive start to the campaign.

Silva has not fielded the same side in any of Everton's first five matches, making eight changes for the Carabao Cup and five in the following game, and will be forced into more switches for the visit of West Ham with Seamus Coleman out with a stress fracture of his foot.

"Of course it is not the best thing for me as a manager," said Silva.

"If you stay with all of them working it is better to settle everything and you don't have to change the starting XI all the time because of injuries and red cards.

"It is important for us to start to win some games and if you keep more or less the same players working every day it is easier for this situation to happen.

"But it is football and you have to be ready to work in this way and find solutions to win matches."

After three draws in their opening four Premier League matches Silva is looking to return to winning ways against the bottom-of-the-table Hammers who are point-less.

However, Silva is taking nothing for granted.

"For us it is not important what position they are, whether or not they are looking for their first win, we have to keep focusing on our work to give 100 per cent and play at the best level to win the game," he added.

"We are talking about a club with a lot of quality in individual players and they spent a lot of money and signed a lot of new players.

"They have a new manager as well and sometimes it takes time to settle everything.

"We will respect them but the most important thing is what we can do."

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