Watford 1 Tottenham 2
Mauricio Pochettino has been championing Tottenham’s case for inclusion as genuine title contenders for some time now and the manner in which they snatched a vital win over 10-man Watford will only reinforce that belief.
Son Heung-min’s 89th-minute winner, flicking the ball past Heurelho Gomes from close range, moved them up to within three points of the summit before the evening kick-offs and sent a clear message to the other teams looking to take control of a brilliant but baffling title race.
Spurs led through Erik Lamela’s 17th-minute effort but were pegged back by yet another Odion Ighalo strike, and almost failed to make the advantage in personnel count after Nathan Aké was dismissed with 62 minutes played for a poor challenge on Lamela. Son, though, earned the points and inflicted a first defeat in six on Watford.
It took a while for things to get going, understandable considering both had only one day’s rest, but the game soon fell into a predictable groove.Spurs controlled a larger share of possession but found things difficult against a compact Watford team happy to counter-attack.
They have enjoyed considerable success playing in that manner though it was a little more surprising to see Pochettino, a staunch believer in 4-2-3-1, deviate from his favourite system by deploying a three-man defence containing Jan Vertonghen, Toby Alderweireld and Eric Dier.
For most of the opening half it worked well and Spurs were good value for their lead even if it came about due to an error from Craig Cathcart. The Watford defender was caught in two minds near halfway and, after he took a sloppy touch, Dele Alli robbed him before feeding Lamela. The Argentinian strode forward and, despite Miguel Britos attempting to close the angle, he dispatched a low effort past a stationary Gomes from the edge of the area.
Alli, Kane and Lamela missed the target from range but the hosts grew in stature as half-time approached and the equaliser arrived four minutes before the break. In such destructive form Ighalo needs only the slightest sniff at goal. This was his 30th strike of the calendar year, more than any other player in the top four divisions. Typically his trusty sidekick, Troy Deeney, was the provider, heading down a crossfield pass from Almen Abdi.
Spurs’ back three had been tight up until that point but Ighalo was too strong for Dier, brushing him off before slipping the ball between his legs and finishing low past Hugo Lloris.
Spurs resumed control of the ball upon the restart and Harry Kane misguided a header from Kieran Trippier’s cross before tempers boiled over and Watford were reduced to 10. Aké, returning to the side after missing the Boxing Day trip to his parent club, Chelsea, due to the terms of his loan, was late and high on Lamela near halfway and Anthony Taylor did not hesitate in brandishing his red card.
A couple of minutes earlier Quique Sánchez Flores was urging his players to calm down following a flurry of tasty but mostly fair challenges. There could, however, be few complaints over the dismissal. Deeney was booked in the aftermath and Ighalo was also shown a yellow two minutes later for a foul on Tom Carroll.
It gave Spurs almost half an hour to search for a winner and while they monopolised the ball the most they could show was a Christian Eriksen through ball to Son that an alert Gomes came out to smother.
Watford had looked more likely to steal a winner, forcing a succession of late corners, including one that almost crept over the line from Ben Watson. But Spurs built up a final head of steam and after Gomes punched clear Trippier’s initial cross; a second fell to Son at the near post and he back-heeled the ball past Gomes.
Guardian services
