Watford vs Tottenham Hotspur preview, predicted XI, team news and more | Premier League 2019-20
Tottenham Hotspur are set to rub shoulders with one of the most in-form Premier League sides, Watford, at Vicarage Road on Saturday, January 18.
Spurs, just six months on from their famous Champions League exploits, find themselves in a a huge state of bother, with Jose Mourinho's appointment raising a variety of questions regarding tactics and inability to translate performances to victories among the faithful.
They have collected just one out of an available nine points in their last three outings, and the long-term injury to the talismanic Harry Kane hasn't helped the cause either. Meanwhile, the Hornets have been engineered out of the bottom three for the first time since the start of the season, owing to a run that comprises of four wins and a draw in their last five matches.
They have thumped all possible odds since the Nigel Pearson's appointment, also recording three straight home wins in the process. It'll surely not be an easy outing for Spurs amidst a buzzing atmosphere, but they ought to win, considering they are nine points off the pace for a sought-after UCL spot.
On that note, we bring everything you need to know ahead of a weekend appetiser between Watford and Spurs.
Watford vs Tottenham Head-to-Head
Watford wins: 8
Tottenham wins: 31
Draws: 10
Watford vs Tottenham Form Guide
Last 5 matches (in all competitions)
Watford: W-D-W-W-D
Tottenham: W-L-D-L-D
Watford vs Tottenham Team News
Watford
Robust centre-half Christian Kabasele is back in contention after serving his two-game ban for the red card received at Wolves. Fellow defenders Kiko Femenia and Daryl Janmaat albeit, are sidelined with hamstring and knee injuries respectively. Sebastian Prodl is not in the reckoning either.
Tom Cleverly and Will Hughes are set to miss out too, as should long-term absentee Danny Welbeck. New boy Ignacio Pussetto may not feature, as Pearson is highly likely to give the nod to Deulofeu and Sarr.
Tottenham
Spurs' new signing Gedson Fernandes may make his debut off the bench against Watford, especially since Tanguy Ndombele and Moussa Sissoko are out for the foreseeable future.
Kane, club captain Hugo Lloris and Ben Davies remain out. Elsewhere, Japhet Tanganga, who largely impressed against Mohamed Salah and Liverpool, may be rewarded with another start.
Watford vs Tottenham Predicted XI
Watford (4-2-3-1): Ben Foster; Adrian Mariappa, Craig Cathcart, Christian Kabasele, Adam Masina; Nathaniel Chalobah, Etienne Capoue; Ismaila Sarr, Abdoulaye Doucoure, Gerard Deulofeu; Troy Deeney.
Tottenham (4-4-2): Paulo Gazzaniga; Japhet Tanganga, Toby Alderweireld, Jan Vertonghen, Danny Rose; Serge Aurier, Harry Winks, Erik Lamela, Heung-Min Son; Lucas Moura, Dele Alli.
Watford vs Tottenham Match Prediction
Spurs have shipped no lesser than 20 goals since Mourinho took over from Mauricio Pochettino, while Watford are flying with eight in their last three.
Their transitioning from defence to attack may release the likes of Doucoure time and time again, given the width both Spurs' central midfielders play with. They'll also have to deal with the frenetic pace of Sarr and Deulofeu, a major area of concern for the visitors.
Watford will continue their red-hot form in the league, against a side that doesn't seem to know how to buy their goals at the moment.
Predicted score: Watford 2-0 Tottenham Hotspur
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