Yahoo Finance Watford 0-1 Tottenham LIVE! Late Sanchez goal - Premier League result, match stream and latest updates today
Antonio Conte’s side left it late but managed to overcome their struggling hosts thanks to a late Davinson Sanchez header.
For the second game in succession Conte’s Spurs side lacked attacking spark, although they did have decent chances for Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Sergio Reguilon and Harry Kane.
But it took defender Sanchez to break the deadlock in the sixth minute of stoppage time, flicking in a header from a whipped delivery by Son Heung-min. Minutes before that, play had been suspended after a medical emergency in the crowd.
Victory lifted Tottenham into fifth place, above Manchester United and West Ham United, with 33 points from 18 games, two points behind Arsenal who have played two games more.
It was cruel on Watford who have now lost six consecutive league games and sit one place and two points above the bottom three, having played two more games than 18th-placed Burnley.]
Here’s how the afternoon unfolded with Standard Sport.
Watford vs Tottenham latest news
GOAL: Sanchez gives Tottenham a late lead
Kick-off time: 3pm GMT, Vicarage Road
How to watch: Highlights on Match of the Day
Prediction: Watford 1-3 Tottenham
Confirmed Watford lineup
Confirmed Tottenham lineup
Goodnight
20:45 , Jonathan Gorrie
Thank you for joining Standard Sport’s LIVE coverage of Tottenham’s win over Watford.
You can read the full report here.
Dan Kilpatrick’s full-time verdict
17:08 , Jonathan Gorrie
FT, 0-1. A big three points for Spurs to kick off a difficult month. They deserve credit for perseverance but didn’t half make hard work of Watford. After the second half at Southampton and today, the obviously takeaway is that Spurs need to improve at breaking down stubborn defences.
FT: Watford 0-1 Tottenham
17:00 , Jonathan Gorrie
What relief for Spurs.
GOAL: Watford 0-1 Tottenham | Davinson Sanchez ‘90+4
16:54 , Jonathan Gorrie
90+4: Sanchez heads in a Son free-kick.
Update
16:48 , Jonathan Gorrie
PA announces that medical professionals are dealing with a supporter but said incident is "under control" – and the game will resume. Lucas replaced by Gil.
— Dan Kilpatrick (@Dan_KP) January 1, 2022
Dan Kilpatrick from Vicarage Road
16:45 , Jonathan Gorrie
The match here at Vicarage Road is paused while medical staff appear to attend to someone in the crowd. Lots of supporters over in lower tier of the Graham Taylor stand were gesturing for assistance and medical staff raced across the pitch to attend.
UPDATE: PLAY HAS BEEN PAUSED
16:43 , Jonathan Gorrie
Play has been paused due to a medical emergency in the crowd.
🟡 0-0 ⚪️ (86’)— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) January 1, 2022
PENALTY CLAIM!
16:39 , Jonathan Gorrie
No penalty?! 😩
The referee waves away appeals for a Watford spot kick after Lloris challenges João Pedro.
⏱ 81’
🐝 0-0 🟣#WATTOT— Watford Football Club (@WatfordFC) January 1, 2022
CHANCE FOR SPURS
16:30 , Jonathan Gorrie
72:00 - Bachmann SOMEHOW denies Son from close range.
Looked like it should have been a tap in.
Incredible save.
Winks on
16:28 , Jonathan Gorrie
70:00 - Let’s see what Winks can do.
Excellent against Southampton at picking locks, he’s been talked up by Conte of late and an impressive cameo might even have him coming into Gareth Southgate’s thinking for England.
Spurs’ changes start
16:26 , Jonathan Gorrie
Our first change...
➡️ Winks
⬅️ Skipp
🟡 0-0 ⚪️ (70’) pic.twitter.com/iXbr6Dm7EB— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) January 1, 2022
An open game suits Spurs
16:23 , Jonathan Gorrie
65:00 - Watford might be causing more problems but, with their defensive record, you’d fancy Spurs to find something.
Watford not happy with the officiating
16:20 , Jonathan Gorrie
João Pedro was running into the penalty area but the referee pulls it back for a foul on the forward rather than playing advantage! 😩
Skipp is booked for the foul.
⏱ 61’
🐝 0-0 🟣#WATTOT— Watford Football Club (@WatfordFC) January 1, 2022
An hour in
16:18 , Jonathan Gorrie
60:00 - We’re at the hour mark and the game has come to life.
Watford enjoying more of the ball more often, although have only really forced the one save.
16:16 , Jonathan Gorrie
It's a good spell of pressure for the Hornets!
Louza has been whipping in a series of set pieces, with King heading over from the latest corner.
⏱ 58’
🐝 0-0 🟣#WATTOT— Watford Football Club (@WatfordFC) January 1, 2022
HUGE SAVE FROM LLORIS
16:11 , Jonathan Gorrie
54:00 - Stunning save from Lloris to deny King what would have been a goal so against the run of play, Spurs fans would have been tearing their hair out.
Dan Kilpatrick from Vicarage Road
16:11 , Jonathan Gorrie
Spurs have worked Bachmann twice since the interval but the efforts from Lucas and Kane were both from near the edge of the area. They’re still struggling to get behind this Watford back line & into really dangerous positions.
BIG SAVE FROM BACHMANN
16:09 , Jonathan Gorrie
52:00 - Kane’s spectacular spin and shot on his left foot forces a brilliant save from Bachmann.
Conte must be changing it soon
16:08 , Jonathan Gorrie
With Winks, Lo Celso and Ndombele on the bench, you feel Conte will surely change things up soon.
They need a lock-picker.
Half-chance for Spurs
16:05 , Jonathan Gorrie
47:00 - After a pretty intense start, Reguilon’s deflected shot hits Watford’s side netting.
Watford make a change
16:02 , Jonathan Gorrie
We make one change at the interval.
⏱ HT
🐝 0-0 🟣#WATTOT pic.twitter.com/o22gyc2kaT— Watford Football Club (@WatfordFC) January 1, 2022
Back underway!
16:02 , Jonathan Gorrie
Here we go for the second-half!
The penalty debate
15:50 , Jonathan Gorrie
No penalty awarded to Harry Kane ❌
Jermaine Beckford thinks it should have been awarded, but Leon Osman feels it's in a grey area.#WATTOT #bbcfootball #finalscore pic.twitter.com/vECmEb7Wcj— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) January 1, 2022
Dan Kilpatrick’s half-time verdict
15:49 , Jonathan Gorrie
HT, 0-0. Watford have offered only the merest flicker on the counter but Claudio Ranieri will be the happier manager. Spurs are struggling to break down another stubborn opponent. Royal is the Spurs player being given space but he’s proving an ineffective out-ball.
HT: Watford 0-0 Tottenham
15:49 , Jonathan Gorrie
0-0 at the break.
Dan Kilpatrick from Vicarage Road
15:43 , Jonathan Gorrie
Most of Tottenham’s play is going through right wing-back Royal but he hasn’t managed to put in a really dangerous delivery yet. The home crowd are growing frustrated at Watford’s lack of ambition but, as it stands, Claudio Ranieri will be the happier manager.
Son tries to work his magic
15:40 , Jonathan Gorrie
38:00 - The forward does well to spin and shoot under huge pressure, though eventually sees his shot blocked inside the box.
Watford defending for their lives.
Dan Kilpatrick from Vicarage Road
15:35 , Jonathan Gorrie
#thfc Definitely the kind of game where you wonder if Spurs need both Skipp & Hojbjerg, and whether one of the wing-backs could be a forward player
— Dan Kilpatrick (@Dan_KP) January 1, 2022
Spurs ramping up the pressure
15:35 , Jonathan Gorrie
32:00 - Though it might be their game plan, Watford have not offered much of anything going forward.
Very lucky to be in this as Spurs continue to ramp up the pressure.
HUGE CHANCE FOR SPURS
15:32 , Jonathan Gorrie
31:00 - Kane, who has been in excellent form of late, has just curled an effort wide after pouncing onto a loose ball.
Should probably have scored.
PENALTY CLAIM
15:29 , Jonathan Gorrie
27:00 - Kane wants a penalty after turning well inside the box and going to ground under Troost-Ekong.
Foul or not, the England captain looked offside.
CHANCE FOR SPURS
15:28 , Jonathan Gorrie
26:00 - Straight up the other end, Reguilon forces a good save from Bachmann after breaking through the lines.
Game opening up a bit!
Slight chance for Watford
15:27 , Jonathan Gorrie
26:00 - Like the Dennis shot early, Sema does hit the target but with an incredibly weak shot from just outside the box.
Dan Kilpatrick from Vicarage Road
15:23 , Jonathan Gorrie
I thought Conte might keep Harry Winks in the side and this is definitely the kind of game where you wonder if Spurs need both Skipp and Hojbjerg in the centre. Spurs are being denied space and need someone to pick the Watford lock.
CHANCE FOR SPURS
15:21 , Jonathan Gorrie
19:00 - Kane, as he so often does, turns and shoots at goal but Bachmann saves well.
Frustrating for Spurs so far.
CHANCE FOR SPURS
15:18 , Jonathan Gorrie
17:00 - Hojbjerg, barely renowned for his shooting prowess, fizzles a volley just over the bar.
Solid enough from Watford
15:14 , Jonathan Gorrie
14:00 - Not a lot space for Spurs so far when Kane and Moura look to drop deep and link attacks together.
Still, this is a Watford side who haven’t kept a clean sheet since the opening day of the season, so Spurs will feel confident they can find a way.
15:12 , Jonathan Gorrie
Sierralta rising high 💪🇨🇱#WATTOT pic.twitter.com/rzVRPWm4F3
— Watford Football Club (@WatfordFC) January 1, 2022
15:12 , Jonathan Gorrie
#thfc Game at Vicarage Road has already settled into a pattern of Spurs controlling possession & Watford defending with a back five. Question is whether Spurs can be more successful at breaking down a stubborn opponent than vs Saints.
— Dan Kilpatrick (@Dan_KP) January 1, 2022
Spurs looking for Moura
15:12 , Jonathan Gorrie
12:00 - Moura’s quick feet are a really nice alternative to simply going out wide to the full-backs.
As a No.10, he looks like a crucial component of Conte’s side.
Dan Kilpatrick from Vicarage Road
15:10 , Jonathan Gorrie
The game has already settled into a pattern of Spurs controlling possession but the question is whether they will have more success at breaking down a stubborn opponent than they did at Southampton.
Nice pass from Hojbjerg
15:07 , Jonathan Gorrie
06:00 - The Dane does well to spread one out wide to Emerson Royal, whose cross from the byline is eventually blocked.
With no Harry Winks, who was so impressive against Southampton at picking locks from deep, it’ll be interesting to see where Spurs’ creativity comes from.
CHANCE FOR WATFORD
15:04 , Jonathan Gorrie
04:00 - Having said that, Dennis has just had a shot at Lloris, though did little to trouble him.
Nice pressure from Spurs early on
15:03 , Jonathan Gorrie
02:00 - Strong stuff to start with Spurs attacking down the right, with Emerson involved.
One thing you can tell about Tottenham of late is that they are starting games much better, rather than relying on a Conte rocket at half-time.
KICK-OFF
15:01 , Jonathan Gorrie
We’re underway!
Claudio Ranieri on the difference between the two sides
14:57 , Jonathan Gorrie
🗣️ "Spurs is in the battle for Champions League we are in the relegation battle."
Claudio Ranieri talks about Watford's preparations ahead of the game against Tottenham. pic.twitter.com/HYT4Mgo26D— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) January 1, 2022
For all of the FPL players out there
14:54 , Jonathan Gorrie
SCOUT: Son Heung-min (£10.6m) has produced an attacking return in each of his last five appearances, notching four goals and providing two assists#FPL #WATTOT pic.twitter.com/acmSIvroSE
— Fantasy Premier League (@OfficialFPL) January 1, 2022
Antonio Conte: There are no easy games in England
14:50 , Jonathan Gorrie
🗣️ "In England there isn't an easy game."
Antonio Conte talks through his team selection ahead of #WATTOT pic.twitter.com/NGHgE3M8Yf— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) January 1, 2022
Dan Kilpatrick’s pre-match verdict
14:47 , Jonathan Gorrie
"Tottenham's expectations for this season might start to be defined during an interesting month."@Dan_KP offers his pre-match thoughts from Vicarage Road as Spurs looks to put pressure back on the top four against struggling Watford.
LIVE: https://t.co/0knDSwgV6D#WATTOT pic.twitter.com/rA2qkdsU6R— Standard Sport (@standardsport) January 1, 2022
Already a positive day for Spurs
14:31 , Jonathan Gorrie
Arsenal’s dramatic loss to Manchester City now has them just five point in-front of Tottenham having played three more games.
A win here could really ramp up the pressure on Mikel Arteta’s side, as well as West Ham and Manchester United who play this afternoon and tomorrow respectively.
Harry Kane particularly enjoys New Year’s Day
14:29 , Jonathan Gorrie
Harry Kane with all the players who have scored more #PL ⚽ than him on New Year's Day! 😉
Hit ❤️ if you think the #Spurs striker can continue the streak in #WATTOT! pic.twitter.com/kj13Domd0g— Star Sports Football (@StarFootball) January 1, 2022
Dan Kilpatrick’s verdict on Tottenham’s XI
14:18 , Jonathan Gorrie
#thfc Having completed his evaluations of all the players, this is obviously Conte’s preferred XI (with Romero for Sanchez, when fit). There’s a growing case for Winks & I did like the tweaked system vs Liverpool but it’s hard to argue with really
— Dan Kilpatrick (@Dan_KP) January 1, 2022
Watford are in the building
14:17 , Jonathan Gorrie
In the house! 🏠#WATTOT pic.twitter.com/m3PrOlF7Us
— Watford Football Club (@WatfordFC) January 1, 2022
The Tottenham players arriving
14:14 , Jonathan Gorrie
📍 Vicarage Road. 👋 pic.twitter.com/ALHzkjBSm7
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) January 1, 2022
Confirmed Tottenham lineup
14:03 , Jonathan Gorrie
Your team to face @WatfordFC 👇 pic.twitter.com/7qZNhrGT7S
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) January 1, 2022
Confirmed Watford lineup
14:00 , Jonathan Gorrie
🚨 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠 𝗡𝗘𝗪𝗦 🚨
Here's your first Hornets line-up of the New Year!#WATTOT pic.twitter.com/i4BIfPa96o— Watford Football Club (@WatfordFC) January 1, 2022
Conte: Big spending won’t guarantee Tottenham’s UCL return
13:39 , George Flood
Conte has been eager to play down expectations over the January transfer window, insisting that big spending would not guarantee a return to Europe’s top table.
“I think there are four big, big teams at this moment, and then there are other teams trying to build with important investment this year to close this gap,” Conte said.
“But it is not only going to happen in one transfer market. Or [it’s not the case that] if you invest money, you have a switch that you can flick to get you in [the Champions League].
“Football is complicated. It is not only money, You have to build something important over years. I am here to do this but I know it is going to be very difficult.
“Everybody keeps asking about getting into the Champions League but I want to be very honest with everybody and to tell them we have an important job to do and need time and patience. Now I am sure of that after I made my evaluations [of the squad] after two months.”
Conte offers Spurs Champions League warning
13:33 , George Flood
Tottenham have looked transformed at times under Antonio Conte, leading to real optimism that they can press for a top-four finish this term.
However, the Italian warned this week that it could yet take years for Spurs to return to the Champions League.
“Honestly, I have been in football for many years, enough to tell you that qualifying for the Champions League takes years, not just two or three months or one transfer market,” Conte said.
“If we think [like] this, football is not this way and at this moment there are important teams who see those [Champions League places] as important spots this season.
“To get a place in the Champions League it means somebody has to fail and it must be a big failure for there to be a place free in the Champions League.”
13:24 , George Flood
Our man Dan Kilpatrick has arrived at Vicarage Road.
Happy New Year from Vicarage Road 🥳🥳🥳 pic.twitter.com/17IFZCmcQ4
— Dan Kilpatrick (@Dan_KP) January 1, 2022
Standard Sport prediction
13:10 , George Flood
Watford look in real danger if they cannot arrest this alarming slump that has left them perilously close to the bottom three.
Only Newcastle, Norwich and Leeds have conceded more goals this season than the Hornets, who are over-reliant on Dennis in attack.
Watford have won only two of their nine home matches in the league this season, conceding 21 times in six losses in front of their own fans.
Southampton away was a blip in the Conte revolution, but Spurs have look transformed at times under the former Chelsea boss and should get back to winning ways swiftly here.
Watford 1-3 Tottenham.
Tottenham team news - No rest for Kane
13:07 , George Flood
Antonio Conte has dismissed the possibility of resting Harry Kane today.
After facing the Hornets, Spurs play rivals Chelsea three times before the end of January, including their two-legged Carabao Cup semi-final, as well as a north London derby at home to Arsenal and the FA Cup third-round visit of Morecambe.
“We had three to four days after the last game against Southampton so for this reason there’s time [for Harry] to recover, rest, have a training session and be ready to play against Watford,” Conte said.
Steven Bergwijn, Cristian Romero, Giovani Lo Celso and Ryan Sessegnon are all still out for Spurs, who are not believed to have any fresh injury or Covid worries.
Tottenham predicted XI (3-4-3): Lloris; Sanchez, Dier, Davies; Royal, Skipp, Winks, Reguilon; Lucas, Son, Kane.
Watford team news - Dennis NOT going to AFCON
13:00 , George Flood
Emmanuel Dennis will be available for Watford today and indeed throughout January amid a dispute between the club and the Nigerian Football Federation.
Watford are not releasing their influential forward for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon after Nigeria did not request him for the tournament in time.
“In-form rapid raider Emmanuel Dennis, whose English Premiership club is baring fangs, has been excused to provide room for Czech Republic-based forward Peter Olayinka,” Nigeria’s official account said on Instagram.
Dennis staying in England is significant for Watford, given he leads both their scoring and assist charts this term with eight and five respectively.
Tom Cleverley is available after recovering from a hamstring strain, but the likes of Ismaila Sarr, Kiko Femenia, Danny Rose, Christian Kabasele, Ben Foster, Jeremy Ngakia, William Troost-Ekong, Nicolas N’Koulou and Kwadwo Baah are all out.
How to watch Watford vs Tottenham
12:55 , George Flood
Watford vs Tottenham has not been selected for live television coverage in the UK.
However, highlights will be available to watch tonight from 10:45pm GMT on BBC One.
Welcome to Watford vs Tottenham LIVE coverage
12:42 , George Flood
Happy New Year and welcome to Standard Sport’s latest LIVE coverage of a busy weekend to kick off the Premier League in 2022!
Here our focus falls on events at Vicarage Road, where Antonio Conte’s Tottenham will hope to get back to winning ways in their top-four push as they visit a Watford team perilously perched just two points above the relegation zone after a dismal run of five consecutive defeats that has already led to questions over the future of manager Claudio Ranieri.
Kick-off today is at 3pm GMT, and you can follow all the match build-up, latest team news and live updates right here, including expert analysis from Standard Sport’s chief football correspondent Dan Kilpatrick.
