[ad_1]
90′ + 3′ Both teams are running out of time to force a late winner. Mere millimetres denied Tottenham and Lamela. Can there be a late twist?
90′ + 1′ OFF THE LINE! Spurs come within inches of breaking the deadlock as Aurier’s low cross is diverted towards the line by Lamela on the slide. However, Pussetto covering back is in the right place at the right time to clear it off the line. What an introduction to life at Vicarage Road.
90′ There will be four minutes of added time.
89′ Pussetto makes his Watford bow to replace the injured Sarr.
89′ OVER! Lamela takes possession 25 yards from goal, but he can only blast a left-footed strike well over the bar. It has been one of those days for Spurs in the final third.
88′ A concern for Watford as Sarr goes down with an apparent hamstring injury. He was tracking back and pulled up trying to make a challlenge. Sarr will have to be withdrawn here.
87′ Spurs probe down the right flank as Fernandes and Eriksen combine to tee up Aurier for a low cross. The Ivorian hammers a drive towards the near post, but Foster is there to repel the danger.
86′ BLOCK! Tanganga puts his body on the line at the back to stop a blast from Capoue threatening the Tottenham goal.
84′ Eriksen clips a cross over the top for the run of Son, but the South Koren just mistimes his movement and is caught offside in the Watford box.
83′ Fernandes drifts into a promising position on a break from the visitors. He latches on to Eriksen’s throughball and cuts a dangerous cross back into the box that Dawson has to clear ahead of Son.
81′ Fernandes is the fifth Portuguese player to make a Premier League appearance for Tottenham, after José Dominguez, Pedro Mendes, Helder Postiga and Ricardo Rocha.
Gedson Fernandes
G. Lo Celso
80′ Lo Celso makes way for Spurs and Fernandes comes on for his debut.
79′ Chalobah is withdrawn by Pearson and replaces him with Pereyra.
78′ OVER! Sarr takes possession on the right flank and he goes for an ambitious blast at goal, only to send his effort well over the top.
75′ The game remains in the balance with 15 minutes to play. Spurs have had a huge let-off courtesy of Deeney’s miss from the spot and they will be desperate to punish the Watford skipper.
73′ Eriksen replaces Alli in the Tottenham midfield. Alli reacts with frustration as he reaches the Spurs bench, punching his seat.
73′ Deeney has missed three of his last six penalties taken in the Premier League; he had only missed one of the first 13 he took in the competition before this.
72′ Watford keep the pressure on the visitors by putting crosses into the box, but the Tottenham defence holds firm to clear their lines.
P. Gazzaniga
Penalty Save
70′ SAVE! Gazzaniga keeps the scores level with a fine save to deny Deeney from 12 yards. The Watford skipper goes for a strike to the left side of the net, but the keeper guesses the right way and palms it away from danger.
70′ MISS! Deeney strides forward confidently, but he does not connect well enough with his strike to beat Gazzaniga. The striker sees his tame attempt saved by the Spurs keeper.
J. Vertonghen
Yellow Card
69′ Vertonghen is booked for his handball.
69′ PENALTY TO WATFORD! Deulofeu strikes at goal inside the box and sees his effort blocked by the arm of Vertonghen, whose hand is in an unnatural position when it diverts the ball away from goal. The referee does not hesitate in pointing to the spot.
67′ Sarr makes a break down the right flank past Tanganga and then Alli, but Winks is well placed in the middle to head away his cross.
66′ Watford move through phases of possession to test the resilience of the Spurs backline, but the visitors are holding firm at the back.
64′ BLOCK! Son works the ball into the path of Lamela, who goes for a strike at goal on his right foot. It’s a tame effort and strikes Dawson before heading wide of the post. Spurs appeal for a penalty for handball, but the referee says that the defender’s arm was by his side, which is confirmed by VAR.
61′ OVER! Lamela forces a low ball through the Watford backline and out of nowhere Son surges forward to take possession. He bounds into the right inside channel before firing at goal, but he clips his effort just over the bar. It was a great run and strike from the South Korean.
60′ Winks goes into the book for his part in the fracas with Doucoure.
60′ Doucoure is booked for starting the melee with Winks.
60′ Doucoure loses his cool after a collision with Winks. The players have to be separated by their team-mates, although Vertonghen ends on the ground in the aftermath.
58′ Watford’s free-kick is cleared with ease by the visitors and Lo Celso then releases Lamela in space to allow Spurs to counter. The Argentine looks for the run of Son into the box, but Masina gets back to make a vital interception.
56′ Deeney battles with Alderweireld in an aerial duel and wins a free-kick as the pair jostle for a long ball played forward by Masina.
55′ CHANCE! Deeney turns with menace in the final third as he latches on to a long ball. He gets the better of Aurier and fires at goal on his right foot, but Alderweireld gets just enough of a block on his effort to divert it past the post.
53′ OVER! Spurs counter down as Son surges down the right flank and he sends a deep cross to the back post. Alli attacks the delivery, but he can’t get over the ball and heads his effort over the bar.
52′ Sarr gets the better of Tanganga down the right flank, but Alli comes across to divert his cross behind for a corner. Spurs have to get a grip with the Watford threat down the wing.
50′ WIDE! Watford threaten down the right flank as Chalobah floats a dangerous cross into the middle that Deeney knocks into the path of Sarr. The winger has space and time to pick his spot, but he scuffs his effort wide of the target under pressure from Lo Celso.
47′ CHANCE! Sarr breaks down the right flank past Tanganga with ease and he forces a low ball into the middle. Deeney dummies the ball to allow Doucoure to pounce, but he can only guide his effort into the side-netting.
46′ Spurs have failed to score in the first half of any of their last six Premier League games – their longest such run since December 2012 under Andre Villas-Boas.
46′ We’re back underway at Vicarage Road.
It took time for Watford to settle into the game, but once again they’ve looked good under Nigel Pearson. Their home record has been extremely strong since Pearson’s arrival and the Hornets will have confidence that they can grind another positive result in front of their fans.
It’s goalless at the break in the Premier League clash between Watford and Tottenham at Vicarage Road. Spurs have had the best opening of the half when Lucas Moura was played through by Dele Alli, but he saw his strike blocked by Ben Foster. At the other end, Troy Deeney should have done better with a headed effort at goal from Nathaniel Chalobah’s cross, nodding his attempt straight at Paulo Gazzaniga. There has not been a great deal of quality in the final third and both managers will be looking for a touch of class from their players to break the deadlock in the second period.
45′ + 2′ HALF-TIME: WATFORD 0-0 TOTTENHAM
45′ + 1′ WIDE! Mariappa whips a low cross in with pace towards Deeney at the near post that takes a deflection off Vertonghen and travels just wide of the target.
45′ + 1′ Aurier makes a vital clearance at the back post to head a dangerous cross away from the lurking presence of Doucoure.
45′ There will be two minutes of added time.
44′ Chances are starting to come for both teams at the end of the half, but the two sides are lacking in quality in their finishing this afternoon.
42′ SAVE! Chalobah takes possession on the edge of the Spurs box and then fakes a strike. He opts to clip a cross into the middle for an unmarked Deeney, but the forward sends a tame header straight at Gazzaniga.
40′ OVER! Alderweireld scoops a long ball down the left flank for the run of Son. The winger goes for a first-time strike on the volley, only to guide his effort over the bar.
38′ SAVE! Tottenham open up the Watford defence with a break down the right. Alli feeds Lucas in the inside channel and he only has to beat Foster with his effort, but the keeper rushes off his line to make a block with his body.
35′ Capoue wipes out Lo Celso on a fast break on the right flank and goes into the book.
34′ Deulofeu wins a free-kick on the left flank, allowing Chalobah to lift a cross into the box. However, the delivery from the midfielder is cleared with ease by the visitors.
33′ Deulofeu curls a dangerous delivery towards the back post from the left flank. Gazzaniga reads the danger and acrobatically palms it away from danger.
32′ CHANCES! Sarr battles Tanganga down the right flank and he wins the duel sending a low cross into the middle. Deeney goes for a flick with his right boot, but cannot make enough contact to turn it towards goal. Deulofeu takes possession and turns his way past Aurier, only to see his cross deflected behind for a corner.
30′ SAVE! Son latches on to a loose ball on the edge of the box and he lines up a strike at goal that takes a deflection off Chalobah. It wrong foots Foster, but he has enough time to recover to get across to make the stop.
28′ There’s a break in play as referee Michael Oliver has a problem with his communication device and needs repairs on the sideline.
27′ Capoue catches Tanganga late with a boot and the referee awards a free-kick, although there’s no further action from the official.
26′ BLOCK! Son and Alli combine to tee up Lucas in the box. The forward turns to strike at goal on the half-volley, but his effort is charged down by Dawson.
24′ Alli tries to thread the needle to release Lucas through the middle, but his pass is cut out by the covering Cathcart.
23′ Mariappa clips a ball forward for the run of Sarr on the edge of the box, but he controls the ball with his hand and gives away a needless free-kick.
21′ Alli leads a break forward from the back for the visitors. He has Aurier in support, but delays his offload to the right-back. The Ivorian then has to stretch to reach the ball and can only send it behind under pressure from Masina.
20′ OVER! Chalobah takes the free-kick and he tries an ambitious curling strike at goal that sails comfortably over the bar. Not the best effort from the Watford midfielder.
19′ Tanganga is booked for pulling back Sarr on the edge of the box.
19′ Tanganga heads a clearance straight to Sarr and the winger nudges the ball forward. The Spurs left-back brings down the winger on the edge of the box, presenting a free-kick in a dangerous position to the home side.
17′ OVER! Winks loses out to Doucoure on the Watford left flank and the midfielder breaks down the wing before cutting a low ball into the middle. Sarr takes possession and he twists and turns before taking on the strike, but he clears the bar with his eventual effort at goal.
15′ Chalobah gets across well to cover at the back for the home side, breaking up another surge down the left flank by Son.
13′ Aurier takes a poor first touch down the right flank and he has to lunge to attempt to win back possession, fouling Masina in the process to give away a free-kick.
12′ Tottenham are enjoying a bright start to the game, but they’ve yet to provide a serious threat to Foster between the sticks.
10′ Aurier keeps the attack alive for the visitors and he clips a cross towards Lucas, but the forward just cannot rise high enough to connect with the Ivorian’s delivery/
9′ Son surges down the left flank and he scoops a left-footed cross into the middle, but he overhits his delivery to the back post.
7′ Lamela sees his corner punched clear of danger by Foster, but the Argentine gathers the loose ball. He cuts in from the right flank and shoots on his left foot, only to pull his effort well wide of the post.
6′ Lo Celso feeds the run of Aurier down the right flank and he wins a corner as his low cross is deflected behind by Masina.
4′ Son takes possession in a dangerous position in the left inside channel. He takes a touch to open up room for a strike, but his low effort is saved with ease by Foster.
2′ Tottenham appeal for a penalty in the Watford box against Cathcart, but the home side are able to break with Deulofeu on the counter. He runs at the Spurs defence before curling a strike wide of the target.
1′ We’re underway at Vicarage Road.
Watford have won just one of their 13 Premier League matches against Tottenham (D4 L8), a 2-1 win at Vicarage Road last season.
Spurs have made four changes to their side that beat Boro. Alderweireld is preferred to Sanchez in the middle of the defence, while Aurier replaces Sessegnon and Tanganga flips to left-back. Alli comes into the middle of the park to oust Dier, while Son starts ahead of Eriksen in the final third. New signing Fernandes earns a place on the bench. Of course, Spurs are without Harry Kane for the long term after his hamstring injury.
Watford are unchanged from their win over Bournemouth last time out, despite the return of Kabasele from suspension. Pearson keeps faith with Dawson and Cathcart in the middle of the defence, with Kabasele taking a place on the bench. Deeney continues to lead the line supported by Sarr, Doucoure and Deulofeu.
TOTTENHAM SUBS: Davinson Sanchez, Michel Vorm, Eric Dier, Ryan Sessegnon, Christian Eriksen, Oliver Skipp, Gedson Fernandes.
TOTTENHAM (4-2-3-1): Paulo Gazzaniga; Serge Aurier, Toby Alderweireld, Jan Vertonghen, Japhet Tanganga; Harry Winks, Dele Alli; Erik Lamela, Giovani Lo Celso, Son Heung-min; Lucas Moura.
WATFORD SUBS: Heurelho Gomes, Andre Gray, Domingoes Quina, Jose Holebas, Christian Kabasele, Ignacio Pussetto, Roberto Pereyra.
WATFORD (4-2-3-1): Ben Foster; Adrian Mariappa, Craig Dawson, Craig Cathcart, Adam Masina; Nathaniel Chalobah, Etienne Capoue; Ismaila Sarr, Abdoulaye Doucoure, Gerard Deulofeu; Troy Deeney.
Tottenham ended a run of four matches without a win in all competitions by defeating Middlesbrough during the week in their FA Cup third-round replay. Giovani Lo Celso and Erik Lamela struck early, but they were forced to hang on late after George Saville brought the Championship side back into the game. However, Jose Mourinho’s men held out for the win to advance into the fourth round. The victory was welcomed by Mourinho as his side had failed to win since Boxing Day. Spurs’ form in the Premier League has been poor of late, despite an improved outing against Liverpool, although they went down 1-0 to a strike from Roberto Firmino. They cannot afford another lacklustre outing today.
Watford have won three matches on the bounce in the Premier League to haul themselves out of the relegation zone, including their 3-0 win over Bournemouth last time out on the road. Goals from Abdoulaye Doucoure, Troy Deeney and Roberto Pereyra guided the Hornets to the three points, extending their unbeaten run in all competitions to six matches. The club have lost only once since the arrival of Nigel Pearson, which came against Liverpool at Anfield. It has been quite the turnaround for Watford and they will be determined to keep their form going to move away from danger at the foot of the table.
Good afternoon and welcome to the live commentary of the Premier League clash between Watford and Tottenham at Vicarage Road.
[ad_2]
Source link
90′ + 4′ FULL-TIME: WATFORD 0-0 TOTTENHAM