Watford maintain perfect start with Spurs comeback
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ByEurosport
Updated 02/09/2018 at 17:46 GMT
Vicarage Road, Premier League - Watford 2 (Deeney 69’ Cathcart 76’) Tottenham Hotspur 1 (Doucoure og 53’)
Craig Cathcart of Watford (L) celebrates after scoring his team's second goal with Troy Deeney of Watford during the Premier League match between Watford FC and Tottenham Hotspur at Vicarage Road on September 2, 2018 in Watford, United Kingdom
Image credit: Getty Images
Watford made it four wins from four after they came from behind to beat Spurs at Vicarage Road.
Spurs and Watford both started the game on nine points each after three consecutive victories to start the season, and the first half was balanced.
Lucas Moura partnered Harry Kane up front but the chances dropped to Dele Alli for Spurs early on, and Troy Deeney headed over for Watford in the first half.
In the second half, Abdoulaye Doucouré chested a Christian Eriksen cross just inside the near post after Ben Foster failed to collect another Alli header, and Watford were in danger of losing their perfect start.
Deeney had threatened throughout the half and he headed Watford level with a little over 20 minutes to go. Minutes later, Craig Cathcart made it two with a header of his own.
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Watford v Tottenham Hotspur – Premier League – Vicarage Road
Image credit: PA Sport
TALKING POINT
Can Spurs excel with two up front? It’s early in the season, and it is important to be able to introduce variety to tactical approaches, but by removing Harry Kane from his role as a sole striker for Spurs it seems to upset the balance unnecessarily. Lucas Moura is an excellent player, but he is at his best with room to attack the flanks, not through the middle.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Troy Deeney (Watford): He was a constant source of danger for Watford, but he didn’t get much service in the first half. Instead of growing frustrated, he redoubled his effort in the second half to provide Watford with the inspiration for an impressive comeback.
PLAYER RATINGS
Watford: Foster 6, Holebas 6, Kabasele 6, Cathcart 7, Janmaat 7, Pereyra 7, Capoue 6, Doucoure 6, Hughes 6, Deeney 8, Gray 7. Subs: Success 6, Chalobah 6, Mariappa 6.
Spurs: Vorm 6, Trippier 6, Alderweireld 6, Vertonghen 6, Sanchez 6, Davies 5, Dembele 6, Eriksen 6, Dele 6, Lucas 6, Kane 6. Subs: Rose 7, Winks 6, Llorente 6.
KEY EVENTS
12’ - ALLI HEADER - Alderweireld lifts a ball from the halfway line to the edge of the box, Alli flicks the ball over the 'keeper, and it sails just over the bar.
18’ - DEENEY HEADER - Doucoure finds Janmaat on the right. He arcs a cross to the back post, giving Deeney room to attack it, and he heads a couple of yards over.
53’ - GOAL! Watford 0-1 Spurs. Doucoure scores an own goal - Alli loops the ball into the box. It's headed away but Foster is out of position as he chases it. The ball is clipped back towards goal and Doucoure intercepts, only to send it squeezing inside of the near post.
67’ - WATFORD HIT THE POST - Gray pushes Sanchez off the ball fairly, drives towards the box and whips in a cross for Deeney. Alderweireld edges ahead of him, and glances an effort right onto the far post.
69’ - GOAL! WATFORD 1-1 SPURS. Deeney scores - Pereyra whips in a free kick with his left foot from the right wing, and Deeney directs a header to the far post, leaving Vorm stranded.
76’ - GOAL! Watford 2-1 Spurs. Cathcart scores - Watford have a corner on the left, Pereyra lifts it into the box and Cathcart, stood still, points a header to the top near corner.
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Harry Kane against Watford - Tottenham / Premier League
Image credit: Getty Images
KEY STAT
- Watford have won each of their opening four league games of a season for just the second time in their history (also 1988-89), with this the first time they have achieved the feat in the top flight.
- Troy Deeney became the fourth player to score in 100 matches for Watford in all competitions, after Tommy Barnett, Ross Jenkins and Luther Blissett.
- This was the first time that Tottenham Hotspur lost a game in which they had been leading in the Premier League since November 2016 against eventual champions Chelsea, ending a run of 48 league matches without defeat when taking the lead at any stage.
- This was Watford’s first league win over Tottenham since May 1987, ending a run of 12 league games without a victory over the Lilywhites (D4 L8).
- Since Javier Gracia took over as Watford manager in January, no side has won more home Premier League games than the Hornets (seven, level with Arsenal, Liverpool, Man City, Man Utd and Spurs).
- Watford’s run of four consecutive Premier League wins at Vicarage Road is their best run in the top-flight on home soil since December 1986 (also four straight wins).
- After his two assists today, Watford’s Jose Holebas has been directly involved in five Premier League goals so far this season (one goal, four assists) - more than any other player in the competition.
- Each of Craig Cathcart’s five league goals for Watford have come at Vicarage Road and all of them have come from set-pieces (3x corners, 2x free-kicks).
- Abdoulaye Doucoure’s own goal was the 13th scored by Watford in the Premier League.
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