Watford have won just one of their past eight matches and are four points outside the play-offs following Saturday's goalless draw with Preston.

The Hornets are now looking for their ninth full-time manager since Javi Gracia left in September 2019.

"We are all ambitious to succeed this season, so something new is needed quickly while the opportunity of promotion is still real," technical director Ben Manga told the club website.

"With the January transfer window over, to change coach is the only option available to re-energise for the final games ahead."

Since Gracia was sacked just four months after taking the club to the 2019 FA Cup final, Quique Sanchez Flores, Nigel Pearson, Vladimir Ivic, Xisco Munoz, Claudio Ranieri, Roy Hodgson, Edwards and now Bilic have all had spells in charge.

Of those, Munoz led the club to promotion to the Premier League in 2021, but he was sacked six months later to make way for Ranieri.

The Italian, who guided Leicester City to the Premier League title in 2016, himself only lasted three months before Hodgson was brought in.

Former England boss Hodgson left in May 2022 after relegation to the Championship, but his replacement Edwards only won three of his first 10 league games in charge and was sacked.

Bilic got off to a superb start with a 4-0 win at Stoke, before Watford lost three of their next four fixtures and their form remained inconsistent during the former Croatia manager's 26-match reign.

Watford have also confirmed that Bilic's coaching staff have left the club.