Everton manager Marco Silva admitted there are no easy answers to his side's inconsistency after they slumped to a 3-1 home defeat to Wolves.

Wolves have now scored 10 goals in three Premier League outings to strengthen their grip on seventh place above Watford and Everton, but they were helped at Goodison Park by some generous defending from Silva's side – particularly at set-pieces.

Asked what had gone wrong, Silva said: "Many things. When you lose a game like this afternoon playing at home and giving easy to things to our opponents it is a tough afternoon and a disappointing result.

"If I see our opponents do something really special, I'm the first one to be fair with them and give congratulations but I can see we lost the game because we are giving everything too easy."

Ruben Neves opened the scoring from the penalty spot just seven minutes in after Leighton Baines – who looked off the pace after passing a late fitness test and was replaced before half-time – bundled into the back of Matt Doherty.

Andre Gomes rifled in his first Everton goal to level but a needless free-kick conceded by Michael Keane before the break led to Wolves' second as Raul Jimenez headed in all too easily before Leander Dendoncker made sure in the second half.

Silva admitted he was giving the same answers to the same questions after a miserable winter for Everton, who have lost four of their last six Premier League matches.

"I have to be honest when I'm talking to the players, to you, to our fans about what is my feedback," he said.

"It is up to us to solve the problems. We keep doing the same things but this is not a moment to find excuses.

"We have to look clearly. I don't want to hear about nerves because if you are here working at this club you have to be able to be able to handle the pressure. It's not about finding an excuse. You have to find the solution."

Baines was replaced before half-time but Silva denied he had taken a gamble on his fitness.

"He did a test this morning and the feedback was good," he said. "He told me he was in condition to start the match and I took that decision."

Silva's fellow Portuguese Nuno Espirito Santo was celebrating on the pitch at full-time, with his side now enjoying a four-point cushion over eighth-place Watford.

"It was a good game, a good performance which allowed us to play a good team in a tough stadium and go out in a proud way," he said.

Everton's woes from set-pieces are now well known but Nuno said it is something his side always work on, regardless of their opponents.

"It is a moment in our game that requires a lot of hard work," he said. "We invest our time in set-pieces."

Soon after Dendoncker had scored Wolves' third there was a lengthy stoppage as a black cat strayed on to the pitch, crossing the goal line that Everton were attacking.

That might be considered a good omen in the UK, but it is regarded as bad luck in Portugal. With two English sides managed by two Portuguese coaches, perhaps it all got cancelled out, but Nuno was clear on one thing after the match.

"I don't like black cats," he said.