Watford vs Tottenham: Premier League preview, team news, stats, predictions, kick-off time
Tom Cleverley returns; Steven Bergwijn joins Spurs injury list; follow Watford vs Tottenham in our dedicated live match blog; watch free match highlights on Sky Sports digital platforms and YouTube channel from 5.15pm
Saturday 1 January 2022 17:25, UK
Team news, stats and prediction ahead of Watford vs Tottenham in the Premier League on January 1; kick-off 3pm
Team news
Watford midfielder Tom Cleverley is available for selection for Watford. The 32-year-old has recovered from the hamstring strain which ruled him out of the West Ham fixture on Tuesday.
Kiko Femenía (hamstring) and Danny Rose (knee) are both missing.
Longer-term absentees Kwadwo Baah, Peter Etebo, Nicolas Nkoulou and Ismaïla Sarr remain a fair way from rejoining training.
Steven Bergwijn has joined the injury list for Tottenham along with Cristian Romero and Ryan Sessegnon with the Dutch winger picking up a calf problem over the festive period.
However, Giovani Lo Celso is back in contention after being sidelined over the last couple of weeks with a calf complaint.
How to follow
Follow Watford vs Tottenham in our dedicated live match blog. Highlights will also be published on the Sky Sports digital platforms and the Sky Sports Football YouTube channel from 5.15pm on Saturday.
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Last time out...
Jones Knows prediction
I had to do a double glance at the Premier League table to make sure Watford weren't in the relegation zone. Yes, they really aren't.
They surely can't keep their heads above water for much longer defending in the same manner. Claudio Ranieri's team have lost their last five Premier League games, conceding 15 goals along the way. In fact, since Ranieri took charge their average of 2.5 goals conceded per-match is the second-worst defensive record across all of Europe's top five leagues, with only Bundesliga basement boys SpVgg Greuther Fürth posting a leakier return (3.00).
The hapless Hornets also remain without a clean sheet this season - only Bordeaux in Ligue 1 have also failed to keep a clean sheet across those aforementioned leagues. Tottenham should find chances easy to come by in what looks an away win.
One Spurs attacker that remains overpriced in array of markets is Lucas Moura, who is revelling playing with freedom in a swashbuckling attack with Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son. The Brazilian is being encouraged to play in more central areas, posting five shots on goal - including registering a goal against Crystal Palace - and three shots on goal, all on target, in just 28 minutes of action in the draw with Southampton. The Evens for him to register a shot on target in this game rates as a very strong wager against such timid opposition. And I'd recommend doubling him up in a shots double with Michael Keane for Everton against Brighton on Sunday at 3/1.
SCORE PREDICTION: 0-2
BETTING ANGLE: Lucas Moura to have a shot on target (Evens with Sky Bet)
Opta stats
- Watford have won just one of their last 17 league games against Tottenham (D6 L10), beating them 2-1 at Vicarage Road in September 2018.
- Tottenham have won just two of their last 10 away league games against Watford (D5 L3), and are winless in their last three visits to Vicarage Road since a 4-1 win on New Year's Day 2017.
- Watford have won their first league game in just one of the last 10 calendar years (D1 L8), beating Wolves 2-1 on New Year's Day 2020.
- Tottenham lost on New Year's Day in 2020 (0-1 vs Southampton), having won each of their previous six Premier League games on 1st January before this.
- Watford are the only side without a Premier League clean sheet this season. They've conceded in each of their last 27 games in the competition, the longest run without a clean sheet by any club in the division since Burnley's run of 29 games between November 2009 and August 2014.
