Late goals from Son Heung-min and Fernando Llorente rescued Tottenham Hotspur from another disappointing result as they beat Watford 2-1 at Wembley this evening.
The Hornets had taken a half-time lead through Craig Cathcart, who was also a scorer in September's reverse fixture and benefitted from an error from Hugo Lloris to bundle the ball home from a corner on 38 minutes.
Llorente missed a couple of golden opportunities from inside the six-yard box, and Watford substitute Ben Wilmot cleared off the line from Danny Rose before Son, on his return from the Asian Cup, struck 10 minutes from time.
For the second Premier League outing in a row, the Lilywhites grabbed a late winner as Llorente headed home a cross from Rose to ensure the hosts did not fall to a third straight defeat, following two cup exits last week.
Relive how the action unfolded in London, courtesy of Sports Mole's minute-by-minute updates below.
Out of two cup competitions to London rivals, high-profile injuries and no sign of January reinforcements, it has been a difficult couple of weeks for Tottenham Hotspur, and tonight their unrelenting schedule continues with the visit of a Watford side that has already beaten them this season. Team news from Wembley coming up...
SPURS: Lloris; Aurier, Alderweireld, Sanchez, Vertonghen, Rose; Winks, Sissoko, Eriksen; Son, Llorente
Subs: Gazzaniga, Trippier, Walker-Peters, Dier, Skipp, Lamela, Lucas
Subs: Gazzaniga, Trippier, Walker-Peters, Dier, Skipp, Lamela, Lucas
WATFORD: Foster; Holebas, Mariappa, Cathcart, Janmaat; Pererya, Capoue, Cleverley, Hughes; Deulofeu, Deeney
Subs: Gomes, Britos, Masina, Wilmot, Quina, Sema, Success
Subs: Gomes, Britos, Masina, Wilmot, Quina, Sema, Success
With Harry Kane and Dele Alli still significant absentees, Son Heung-min's earlier than expected return from the Asian Cup hands Mauricio Pochettino a huge boost. Son's South Korea were surprisingly knocked out by Qatar at the quarter-final stage - he was not expected to be available for Spurs again until February 9th's trip to Burnley.
Despite Son's return and an own goal on his first Premier League start of the season against Fulham 10 days ago, Fernando Llorente keeps his place as Kane's deputy, with Erik Lamela dropping to the bench. Moussa Sissoko has recovered from a knock to take his place in a three-man midfield alongside Christian Eriksen and Harry Winks.
Ben Davies has joined the likes of Kane and Alli on Tottenham's injury list, so Danny Rose starts at left-back. On the other side of defence, Serge Aurier is preferred to Kieran Trippier, who has made a string of errors recently, and will be looking to establish himself as first choice for the first time since joining from PSG.
The absence of key attacking options encourages Pochettino to stick with a back five, with Eric Dier and Lucas Moura held in reserve on the bench after recent injuries. Victor Wanyama made his first appearance following a 10-week layoff in the FA Cup defeat to Crystal Palace on Sunday but finds himself back on the sidelines.
Watford manager Javi Gracia had the luxury of making 11 changes for Saturday's FA Cup encounter with Newcastle United, and still coming away from St James' Park with a victory. Tonight he restores eight of the starting lineup which drew 0-0 with Burnley in their last Premier League outing, with Daryl Janmaat, Craig Cathcart and Will Hughes retained.
© Reuters
Forwards Andre Gray and Isaac Success were both scorers on Tyneside but did not to enough to earn starting spots this evening, with Gerard Deulofeu again selected in a support striker role to complement Troy Deeney. Ex-Burnley man Gray does not even make the squad for the trip to Wembley as Gracia opts for greater defensive cover on the bench.
Abdoulaye Doucoure is missing for the visitors, but Gracia has ensured Watford fans that his absence is fitness related and nothing to do with rumours linking him with a big-money move, which is likely to have to wait until the summer. That puts extra pressure on ex-Spurs flop Etienne Capoue, who leads the Premier League in interceptions this term.
Mauricio Pochettino has had to face the music this week after Tottenham's chances of winning a trophy this season took a double, and almost certainly fatal, blow. However, the Argentine was very firm in his defence of the club's continued progress, and emphasised once again that consistently finishing in the top four is more important.
"We are going to create a debate that to win a trophy is going to help the club. I don't agree. That only builds your ego", the Daily Mail quotes him as saying. "The important thing is being consistently in the top four and playing in the Champions League."
© Reuters
Following two defeats in four games and their spate of injury setbacks, Tottenham's top-four place does not look as secure as it once did. They currently hold a four-point advantage over Arsenal in fifth while Manchester United are coming up at speed behind the Gunners. Above them, leaders Liverpool are nine points ahead and look out of reach.
Spurs have caught a glimpse of what life could be like without a few of their star names in recent outings. As well as the unavailable Kane, Alli and Son, Toby Alderweireld and Christian Eriksen sat out of the defeat to Palace. Both of those players enter the final year of their contracts in the summer and Spurs may have to learn to do without them permanently. Pochettino told Standard Sport this week that the club must be prepared to make "painful" decisions in the transfer market in order to allow the club to evolve.
Considering their injury problems and uncertainty over Alderweireld, who has a £25m release clause triggered for this summer, and Real Madrid-linked Eriksen, it is even more baffling that Spurs continue to stand still in the transfer market. The likes of Adrien Rabiot, Youri Tielemans and Carlos Soler have been touted as targets to bolster a midfield lightened by Mousa Dembele's departure, but it appears that their main focus is on getting rid of more players, such as Vincent Janssen and Georges-Kevin Nkoudou, to create room and funds for the next window. There is still time for someone to come in but the days of deadline-day drama at Spurs seem to have passed.
Spurs could lose three consecutive home matches in a row for the first time since September 2008, following recent defeats to Wolverhampton Wanderers and Man Utd. Their away form remains outstanding, with 11 wins from 13 league matches this season, but the burden of Wembley is weighing on them heavily and that new stadium cannot come quickly enough.
© Reuters
While they appear no closer to attaining silverware, it is easy to forget that Spurs are in the midst of their best ever Premier League season, with their tally of 51 points after 23 matches a club record. Pochettino and his team are very much a victim of their own success and recent disappointments must be taken into context considering the club's resources in comparison to their top-four rivals.
Tottenham could equal the Premier League record of 28 consecutive matches without a draw this evening, currently held by Bolton Wanderers. Their last draw was a 1-1 stalemate with Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium in April 2018 – every other team in the Football League – and Europe's top five leagues – have drawn at least two matches this season.
While Spurs are bottom of the draw table, they do lead the way when it comes to headed goals in the Premier League this season with 12. Two of them came in the dramatic win over Fulham 10 days ago, with Harry Winks nodding home a 94th-minute winner for only his second top-flight goal for the club, and his first since his full debut against West Ham in November 2016.
After a home double-header against Watford and Newcastle this week, Spurs will have the luxury of eight days off to recharge their batteries and hopefully get a few players back to full fitness. Saturday's visit of Newcastle will be a 20th game in all competitions since November's international break, at a relentless average of one match every 3.45 days.
It is usually Watford, not Spurs, who are seeing their season crumble at this stage of the season, having entered the New Year in the top half of the table in two of the last three campaigns, only to slip to 13th and 14th-place finishes. And in 2016-17, they were 13th at this stage of the season, and went on to finish only one position above the relegation zone.
However, this time around it appears as though the Hornets have greater staying power. Javi Gracia's side have lost only one of their last eight league matches, and victory tonight would take them as high as 7th. On top of that, they have also advanced to the fifth round of the FA Cup where they will face Portsmouth or Queens Park Rangers.
© Reuters
The Hornets have not finished in the top half of a top-flight table since 1986-87, a season in which they also reached the FA Cup semi-finals. There is growing optimism around Vicarage Road that Gracia, only one year on from his surprise appointment as Marco Silva's replacement, could lead the club to the same heights this campaign.
The Hornets have not finished in the top half of a top-flight table since 1986-87, a season in which they also reached the FA Cup semi-finals. There is growing optimism around Vicarage Road that Gracia, only one year on from his surprise appointment as Marco Silva's replacement, could lead the club to the same heights this campaign.
Watford are on the brink of equalling their longest unbeaten run in the Premier League of five games, set from November to December 2015 under Quique Sanchez Flores. They have already equalled their club record of four Premier League away games without defeat this month, winning two and drawing two of their last four on the road.
Their short trips to London have been particularly fruitful of late for the Hornets, winning on their last two visits to the capital against West Ham United and Crystal Palace. Another triumph at Wembley this evening would be the first time in the club's top-flight history that they has recorded three successive away victories in London.
A Wembley win would also mark the first time Watford have completed a league double over Spurs, following September's 2-1 come-from-behind victory. Troy Deeney started the comeback that day at Vicarage Road - his only home league goal of the season thus far - the Watford captain's other four league strikes have all come away from home.
© Reuters
Just under 10 minutes until kickoff at Wembley, and we are already underway in two of tonight's other Premier League games, as Southampton face Crystal Palace and Chelsea visit Bournemouth. My colleague Darren Plant has live coverage from the Vitality Stadium, while Barney Corkhill is watching over Anfield as title favourites Liverpool host Leicester City.
Around 10 minutes until kickoff at Wembley, and we are already underway in two of tonight's other Premier League games, as Southampton face Crystal Palace and Chelsea visit Bournemouth. My colleague Darren Plant has live coverage from the Vitality Stadium, while Barney Corkhill is watching over Anfield as now strong title favourites Liverpool host Leicester City.
HEAD TO HEAD: As well as beating them at Vicarage Road in September, Watford held Spurs to a 2-2 draw in the EFL Cup earlier this season, a dramatic finish in which there were three goals and a red card in the final 10 minutes before Tottenham went through on penalties. However, Spurs have won the last eight home league encounters by an aggregate of 22-3.
AS IT STANDS: Spurs will be looking to re-establish their seven-point cushion on fifth-place Arsenal with victory tonight, which would also take them to within two of second-place Manchester City after their slip up at Newcastle United. A win for Watford takes them back to seventh, while a point would lift them above Everton to eighth.
PREDICTION: This is a tricky game for Spurs and I reckon they could drop points. Watford are in a confident mood and should be fresh after making 11 changes in the FA Cup, while Spurs are anything but fresh, or confident. They may be able to grind out a narrow win as they did at Fulham but I fancy Watford to pick up a point, ending Tottenham's draw drought in the process.
KICKOFF: We are underway at Wembley, where our referee this evening is Graham Scott.
Son makes a good early run into the right channel but Cathcart stays with him and makes a good tackle as the South Korean was entering the box. Son's speed and goals are a welcome return for Spurs - they have been a bit paceless without him.
Janmaat knocks in a cross which is just over the head of Deeney, who had not been picked up by any of Tottenham's three centre-backs. That is the sort of service Deeney will be after this evening and Spurs msut defend their area better.
UPDATE: Last night was a very good one for Liverpool, without them even playing, and this one has started equally positively with Sadio Mane giving them a third-minute lead against Leicester City. The Reds could be seven points clear at the top of the table in a couple of hours...
Spurs have got the ball into Llorente's feet on a couple of occasions, and one layoff teed up Eriksen for a left-footed shot that was blocked by Cathcart. Foster may have had his work cut out had that got through the first line of defence.
CLOSE! A lovely spin away from Cleverley creates room for Son to get away a shot on his left foot, and his 22-yard cueler has Foster beaten but drifts just wide of the far post. The South Korean, equally adept on either foot from distance, scored a goal in very simialr fashion against Leicester before Christmas, so we know he is capable.
© Reuters
Son and Eriksen work it nicely through the middle and Llorente is just caught on the wrong foot as the Dane tries to slip him in between the Watford centre-backs. The Spaniard was trying to get back into an onside position and could not adjust quickly enough to what pass a typical pick out from Eriksen.
The hosts are keeping a very high defensive line, safe in the knowledge that Deeney is not going to run in behind. If Deulofeu is alert to latch onto the flick-ons if his skipper does win the initial header, there is space to be had.14
SAVE! Eriksen works half a yard to get a shot away on the edge of the box and although Cleverley comes across to make a block, that makes what would have been a simple save for Foster a bit tricker, and he has to scramble to his left to gather the ball. The threat emanated from a driving run from Vertonghen down the left flank.
A silky layoff on the outside of his foot from Llorente turns the ball into the path of Eriksen, who quickly shifts it into the path of Son on his outside. The forward bursts into the area but his touch is heavy and Foster sweeps up.
Tottenham are starting to go through the gears in this last 10 minutes after a slightly passive start. Eriksen and Son are seeing plenty of the ball, with the latter looking particularly lively, and Rose is a useful outlet at left wing-back.
One thing the hosts may want to try is hitting Llorente with some more direct approach play. The Spaniard has spent most of the opening stages with his hand up in the air, looking for a ball up to his chest and Spurs have perhaps been guilty of overplaying when they may be better using his aerial prowess.
Llorente comes short to get involved and spreads the play out right to Aurier but a promising attack comes to nothing. Nevertheless Spurs continue to play on the front foot, with Watford yet to really find any offensive rhythm.
SHOT! The ball sits up nicely for Janmaat but he cannot keep his 25-yard shot down as Lloris waves it harmlessly over his crossbar. In-behind Rose, who is starting in an advanced position, on their right flank looks Watford's best bet.
Really good hold up play from Llorente, who nearly picks out a brilliant cross-field pass to Vertonghen who had made a 70-yard dash forward on a Tottenham counter. Foster meets the Belgian, who did not have a Watford outfield player within 30 yards of him, on the edge of his box and just beats him to the ball. A crucial intervention.
SHOT! Deulofeu does well to hold off Sanchez and then runs across the edge of the box before getting a shot away. Lloris dives low to his right and may have had it covered had it been the other side of the post. As it was, it drifted a few yards wide.
SHOT! Son is clearly keen to make an impact on his return, but may have been better off dropping a ball over the top to Llorente here, rather than take on a 30-yard shot which bounces up off the turf and comfortably into Foster's hands.
Rose stands up a cross to the back post, where Llorente tries to force the ball back in the opposite direction towards the top corner, but the header was lacking in power and Janmaat clears a few yards in front of his own line.
Deulofeu makes a good out-to-in run and leaves Sanchez lagging behind, but the offside flag goes up against the former Barcelona youngster, who has been linked with a return to the continent this month with AC Milan supposed admirers.
Holebas lines up a shot from range and slices it wide, with the aid of a deflection off Aurier. Watford's first corner yields a half-chance for Mariappa, who could not keep his volley down following a headed layoff from Pererya.
GOAL! SPURS 0-1 WATFORD (CRAIG CATHCART)
Watford lead against the run of play at Wembley, and it is Craig Cathcart who is on the scoresheet against Spurs again. Holebas's corner is into a beautiful area, and it tempts Lloris off his line when he was never getting there. Nobody makes a clean contact with the ball but it is bundled over the line by a combination of Cathcart and Davinson Sanchez.
© Reuters
Tottenham look for an immediate response as Son gets to the left byline and fizzes a ball across the six-yard box, just out of reach of Llorente in the middle, and Aurier at the back post.
Alderweireld knocks the ball into the right channel where Eriksen had made an unchecked run, but the Dane hesistates in delivering his cross and allows Holebas to retreat and make a block.
Lloris plays Alderweireld into trouble with a very unwise pass, with two Watford players pressing the Belgian in his own box. The Spurs defender has little choice but to turn the ball straight out of play. Lloris was at fault for the goal and could have presented the Hornets with another golden opportunity there.
Alderweireld goes direct, but up towards Son rather than Llorente, and the South Korean cannot bring the ball under control as it passes through to Foster. One minute of added time separates Watford from a half-time lead.
HALF TIME: SPURS 0-1 WATFORD
Things are on the verge of going from bad to worse for Spurs, who are facing a fourth defeat in five in all competitions after poor defending from a corner allowed Craig Cathcart, the scorer of the winning goal in September's 2-1 win for Watford, to put the Hornets ahead at the break. Excuse me for stating the obvious, but Spurs are missing Kane and Alli.
In the absence of their two primary offensive talisman, Son Heung-min has been Tottenham's biggest threat on his return from the Asian Cup. The former Bayer Leverkusen forward scored seven in nine before departing on international duty, and came very close with a 10th-minute curler from 25 yards, which had Foster beaten but went wide of the post. Spurs have not really posed a threat since.
UPDATE: A silver lining for Spurs is the other latest scorers from the Premier League, with Bournemouth leading 1-0 at Chelsea and Leicester holding Liverpool at 1-1. But wouldn't that just make this a missed opportunity? Crystal Palace are also one goal to the good at Southampton, with Wilfried Zaha ending his four-month drought.
It was the Hornets who had to come from behind in the reverse fixture at Vicarage Road, and now Spurs must do the same if they are to end their recent slump. They may be lacking some of their firepower, but Pochettino has ensured that this team does not lack character - as displayed recently against Fulham and Chelsea. The are going to need more of it tonight.
BENCH WATCH: Pochettino is not one to make early changes, but I don't see much point in continuing with a back three from hereon-in. Rose and Aurier have not provided the sort of service that Llorente thrives on, so Spurs need to cut Watford open in another manner and the creativity of Lamela or speed of Lucas would be a good start.
MATCH STATS: The hosts enjoyed 65% possession in the first half but only converted that into one shot on target, proving that they weren't getting the right type of service into Son or Llorente often enough. Watford won two corners to Tottenham's one and will fancy their chances from set pieces again if they get the opportunity in the second.
KICKOFF: We are back underway at Wembley and Pochettino has indeed made a change, sacrificing Aurier to bring on Lucas who immediately goes on the dribble and fores a foul from Cleverley. It looks as though Sissoko has gone to right wing-back.
Concern for Spurs as Lucas goes down clutching his leg only minutes after coming on. Already the Brazilian has embarked on a couple of adventurous runs and another injury is the last thing that Pochettino needs. He looks okay to continue, though.
Rose stands up a cross but Foster is able to come off his line and claim it unchallenged.
CHANCE! What a miss from Llorente, who blazes over an open goal from all of four yards out. Foster was down on the floor after saving from the initial cross, turned goalwards by Mariappa in a near-post challenge with the Spaniard, who cannot keep his volley down when it was easier to score. It is an absolute sitter. How costly might it be?
The ball-carrying ability of Moura has made a real difference to Tottenham's attacking intentions. The signing from PSG bursts through the middle, leaving three Watford bodies in his wake, and shifts it left to Rose whose shot from just inside the left edge of the area is blocked by Janmaat.
UPDATE: It is not going Tottenham's way here, but they can take solace in the fact that Chelsea are now trailing 2-0 at Bournemouth, with David Brooks adding to Josh King's opener. Chelsea are the closest team to Spurs in the table and could have moved to within a point of the London rivals with a win tonight.
Lucas is in the wars again after taking a knock in the box, but he has given the thumbs up to continue. I wonder how long it is before we see Lamela join him from the bench, either at the expense of Llorente or a defender.
CHANCE! Alderweireld spots the run of Lucas towards the penalty spot, and the South American initially does well to control the ball on his chest, but the bouncing ball just does not drop quickly enough for him and Watford are able to clear.
SUBSTITUTION: Javi Gracia makes his first change of the night, swapping the presence of Success for the skill Deulofeu, which is probably a concession that his side aren't going to see much of the ball for the rest of this contest.
CLOSE! This doesn't look like it is going to be Tottenham's night, particularly as far as Llorente is concerned. Foster does brilliantly to get his foot to Alderweireld's flick at the near post, and the Belgian lifts the ball back into the danger area where Llorente heads wide from inside the six-yard box again. He had to generate all of his own power but really should hit the target.
SUBSTITUTION: Another alteration from Gracia who hooks an unsatisifed Cleverley for Ben Wilmot, a versatile youngster who will come on and sit in front of the back four, providing another obstacle for Spurs to get through.
OFF THE LINE! And immediately Wilmot is into the thick of the action, making a crucial goal-line clearance to deny Danny Rose an equaliser. Llorente had worked the ball left and the wing-back ran onto the layoff, but Wilmot was perfectly positioned to rescue his team. Spurs should have had a penalty earlier in the move for Janmaat's barge on Lucas.
SHOT! It has been all Spurs in this second half but Watford have half a sight of a second here, as Deeney breaks into the right-hand side of the box and fires a shot into the side-netting from a tight angle. Lloris may have got a hand to it.
SUBSTITUTION: A second change, and a third right wing-back of the night for Spurs as Trippier replaces Sissoko. Can his quality of final ball make the difference for Tottenham here? They need something to fall for them soon.
YELLOW CARD! First booking of the game goes to former Spurs midfielder Capoue for clipping Moura on a Spurs breakaway. Son had fed the Brazilian who was in danger of bursting into the box before Capoue brought him to the floor, taking one for the team.
CLOSE! Foster famously conceded from his own half against Spurs as young goalkeeper - to opposite number Paul Robinson - and he is nearly caught out from 50 yards here, with an overhit attempted cross from Winks close to dropping into the top corner.
CHANCE! Success is close to wrapping it up for Watford, meeting Deeney's knockdown with a left-footed half-volley which drifts five yards or so wide. The substitute met it sweetly but the effort lacked control.
GOAL! SPURS 1-1 WATFORD (SON HEUNG-MIN)
Ten minutes to go and Spurs draw level through Son, who finishes emphatically on his left foot from the penalty spot after Llorente had steered the ball in his direction. Back from the Asian Cup, and back among the goals straight away!
© Reuters
SUBSTITUTION: Lamela is on for Vertonghen as Spurs push for all three points here. Can they find a late winner as they did against Fulham last weekend? Winks was the hero on that occasion, can anyone step up for Spurs here?
RESULT: Turning this around would be a double bonus for Spurs because Chelsea have been thumped 4-0 by Bournemouth. If the hosts can find a winning goal here, it would open up a seven-point cushion on their top-four rivals.
The barrage that Spurs fans may have been expecting following the equaliser has not quite happened yet...
GOAL! SPURS 2-1 WATFORD (FERNANDO LLORENTE)
It looked for all the world that it would be a night to forget for Fernando Llorente, but he has just come up with what could be a crucial winning goal for Spurs. Rose stands up a cross to the back post, and the Spaniard directs it expertly back across Foster and into the side of the net. It is a great header, and yields great celebrations from Pochettino!
© Reuters
Llorente is now playing a role in his own box, winning a header and then killing some time as he goes down with cramp. Watford may feel hard done by if they lose this one but the second half has been one-way traffic almost all the way.
There will be four minutes of added time as Tottenham's focus switches from attacking to defending...
YELLOW CARD! The ball-boys are now playing their part in winding down the clock, and Success picks up a booking for retrieving the ball off one young lad a little too forcefully!
FULL TIME: SPURS 2-1 WATFORD
Watford did it to Tottenham in September, and now Spurs have exacted revenge on the Hornets by coming from behind to claim a 2-1 win, leaving it until as late as the 87th minute to snatch all three points through Fernando Llorente. It is a massive win for Spurs considering recent setbacks, made all the more sweeter by Chelsea and Liverpool dropping points!
That's it from our coverage from Wembley. You can read our match report on the action here, and catch up on the rest of tonight's Premier League scores here. Thanks for joining me for this one, and be sure to return to Sports Mole for our Premier League coverage this weekend. Until then, goodbye!
That's it from our coverage from Wembley. You can read our match report on the action here, and catch up on the rest of tonight's Premier League scores here. Thanks for joining me for this one, and be sure to return to Sports Mole for our Premier League coverage this weekend. Until then, goodbye!
