Tottenham v Watford: Team news, predictions & odds


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The game kicks off at 1230 GMT at White Hart Lane, live on Sky Sports 1 HD.  

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Tottenham v Watford: Team news 


Harry Kane should return to Tottenham's squad for Saturday's Premier League clash with Watford after missing three matches with ankle trouble.

Goalkeeper Pau Lopez could make his Tottenham debut, if Hugo Lloris fails to shake off a virus and Michel Vorm cannot recover from knee trouble.

Victor Wanyama will also be handed a late fitness test as he continues to battle a back injury. 

Watford's injury crisis has intensified as Walter Mazzarri's side are left with a threadbare defence.

Centre-back Younes Kaboul suffered a hamstring injury against Sunderland and defender Sebastian Prodl is recovering from a rib injury, while centre-back Miguel Britos is suspended. Defender Christian Kabasele is back in contention after he returned to training following two months out with a hip problem.

Striker Troy Deeney and midfielders Tom Cleverley and Abdoulaye Doucoure are all "very fatigued", according to Mazzarri, while Etienne Capoue, Valon Behrami and goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes are also doubts. Roberto Pereyra (knee), Mauro Zarate (anterior cruciate ligament) and Ben Watson (groin strain) are all long-term absentees.

Teams

Tottenham (from): Lloris, Vorm, Lopez, Davies, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Dier, Carter-Vickers, Wimmer, Walker, Trippier, Wanyama, Dembele, Eriksen, Alli, Sissoko, Onomah, Son, Janssen, Kane. 

Watford (from): Gomes, Cathcart, Janmaat, Niang, Capoue, Doucoure, Cleverley, Deeney, Pantilimon, Mariappa, Amrabat, Success, Zuniga, Holebas, Okaka, Stewart, Kabasele. 

Tottenham v Watford: Manager quotes   


Mauricio Pochettino (Tottenham)

On Harry Kane: "Harry's had a few sessions before, and today he was involved with the team.

"And we'll see tomorrow whether he will start the game or be on the bench. But it's good news that he's ready. He feels good for his recovery.

"It's very good news for him and for us. He's an important player for us, and for him to be available for us is great.

"We are happy, he's ready, maybe normally after one month out you need to feel the competition. But he's a special player, he tries to push himself a lot.

"We do need to decide tomorrow if he will be in the starting XI or on the bench. But the good news is he's back. And he's our main striker.

"What Harry means for the team is a massive boost for us and it's fantastic news.

"He's always desperate to play, he's always pushing you to try to let him train, play, and score goals. His character is unbelievable."

On goalkeeper Pau Lopez: "Pau Lopez is very young but he's here because we believe in and trust in him.

"If Hugo or Michel are not ready he's a keeper that can cope with the pressure of playing."

On creating a winning mentality: "If you compare Chelsea and Tottenham over the last 10 years, it is true Chelsea won more titles.

"But to create that winning mentality it is about this type of game.

"Belief, show big character, you need time - but I think we are in a good way.

"We believe and never give up, we always try and we were always pushing." 

On trying to catch Chelsea: "I believe that we can win every game if we play like today (against Swansea) - and then we'll see.

"It's important to go game by game and be focusing on our opponent, and on ourselves. Today was another example football is a collective matter.

"It was a massive moment (when Son scored to put Spurs 2-1 ahead) because how we turned it around was unbelievable.

"We're still pushing, believing, pressuring the opponent (Chelsea).

"It means a lot. We realised the three points would be fantastic for us.

"From the touchline, you must translate confidence, trust and belief.

"We allowed them to believe because we conceded a goal, but the most important thing for us was to show collective faith and spirit." 

Walter Mazzarri (Watford)

On the future: "My experience is that the first year is more difficult and the second is easier.

"The squad know your philosophy and the players who come after that will have an advantage, because players will be able to help them.

"There are two things we need to see before the season ends: mentality and we need a winning mentality, then we will see for next season who wants to stay in the squad.

"I signed a three-year contract and it is clear I want to stay.

"In football things change, but we have a project with the president of the club and I want to see it through to the end." 

On Watford's injury problems: "It's our destiny. 

"Against Tottenham, we are always in an emergency."Britos was important because Kaboul and Prodl were injured and we do not have a defence now.

"We had one of the best games since I have been here on Tuesday (in the 2-0 win over West Brom), where the players played the way I like and I would have liked to have been able to play against Tottenham with a full team.

"But I told my players this morning that whoever is going to play Saturday has the chance to show that they deserve to have been playing in the past as well." 

On the injury problems this season: "It's incredible. It's unusual and the injuries we have had this season are unusual injuries.

"I'm happy that despite all the injuries we are still going strong."It's one injury after the other. With Zarate, (Daryl) Janmaat, (Craig) Cathcart, it's difficult.

"I was told last year there weren't many injuries. But that's another reason I'm happy, as despite that, we're doing well." 

Tottenham v Watford: Our prediction 


1pt Vincent Janssen to score anytime in Tottenham v Watford at evens - significant role in the win at Swansea and could get a chance or two against depleted visitors

Our David John writes... Spurs continue to keep it interesting at the top of the table and a late flurry of activity from them at Swansea secured what seemed an unlikely three points with 88 minutes on the clock.

Spurs earn gold stars on two counts with the spirit and belief displayed to recover from a losing position – they have taken 17 points from such scenarios, more than anyone else – as well as doing it without five sidelined first-team regulars.

It has been an excellent collective effort of late and even the much-maligned Vincent Janssen caught my eye when he came on after an hour as a sub and played an important role in two of the goals. 

He could be of interest this weekend as a goalscorer option if Mauricio Pochettino decides to go more positive back at home but in-form Watford are well capable of providing an interesting test on the back of two victories of their own.

That has catapulted the Hornets up to 10th place with 37 points and manager Walter Mazzarri felt the first 30 minutes in midweek at home to West Brom was the best spell of football they had produced all season. 

The Italian managed to utter a bit of English too in congratulations during his post-match interview but left the sweary stuff to his interpreter following the dismissal of Miguel Britos and now leaves them very thin in central defence.

Spurs are pretty short in the betting but hard to oppose all the same – it might be more of a grind for a team chalked up at 30/100 but Janssen facing a depleted rear-guard is fancied to last enjoy a moment or two in the sun in front of the target. 

Prediction: Tottenham 2-1 Watford   

Tottenham v Watford: Opta facts 

 

Tottenham Hotspur have never lost in the Premier League against Watford, winning five of seven encounters (D2). 

Watford have lost their last six league visits to White Hart Lane since beating them 5-1 in May 1985. 

Dele Alli scored twice against Watford at Vicarage Road in January in a 4-1 win and assisted the winner in this exact fixture last season for Kieran Trippier. 

Watford have never managed to score more than once in any of their previous seven Premier League games against Spurs (four goals in seven meetings). 

Spurs are unbeaten in 15 successive league home games (W13 D2 L0); their best run in league competition since May 2011 (17 games). 

Tottenham have four home games remaining in the Premier League this season (including this game). Only 13 teams have previously gone a whole Premier League season unbeaten at home, with Chelsea in 2014-15 being the last. 

Mauricio Pochettino’s side have scored in every one of their last 23 Premier League matches at White Hart Lane – a run that stretches back to January 16th 2016. 

Watford have failed to score in five of their last seven Premier League away games and haven’t kept a clean sheet in any of their last nine on the road in the competition. 

Troy Deeney has scored against 41 different teams during his Watford career, but has never scored in four appearances against Spurs for the Hornets. 

Deeney has now scored in six of his last eight Premier League appearances for Watford (six goals) and has reached double figures for the second successive PL campaign (10 goals in 2016-17, 13 goals in 2015-16). 

Since Mauricio Pochettino took charge of the club on the eve of 2014-15, Tottenham have won 53 points from losing positions in the league – 13 more than any other Premier League side in that time.    

Tottenham v Watford: Sky Bet odds


Tottenham are just 30/100 with Sky Bet to maintain the pressure on Chelsea by recording a sixth successive win, with Watford up against odds of 9/1 to cause an upset and 17/4 just to secure a point. Mauricio Pochettino’s men remain 8/1 shots to win the Premier League following their comeback at Swansea, while the Hornets are 40/1 to face relegation following back-to-back victories. The bookmakers struggle to pick a first goalscorer favourite in Harry Kane’s continued absence, with Dele Alli, Heung-Min Son and Vincent Janssen all 3/1 to break the deadlock, while Troy Deeney is considered the visitors’ main threat at 12/1 to net first.      

Sky Bet's Tottenham v Watford odds!



 

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