Tottenham Hotspur vs Watford. Premier League.
White Hart LaneAttendance35,997.
Saturday 6 February 2016 18:01, UK
Kieran Trippier's second-half goal was enough to give Tottenham their sixth win in six games as they moved up to second in the Premier League with a 1-0 victory at home to Watford.
The full-back tapped in from close range from Dele Alli's cross in the 64th minute at White Hart Lane on Saturday and that goal proved enough to earn the hosts all three points.
Watford rarely threatened as Mauricio Pochettino's side dominated from start to finish, the victory taking them above Manchester City in the league standings, five points behind leaders Leicester.
The hosts were quickly onto the front foot and rarely let Watford out of their own half in the opening 45 minutes.
Their first opportunity of note came after nine minutes when Harry Kane got onto a ball over the top but was unable to get the power on his shot to beat Heurelho Gomes under a challenge from Nathan Ake, the referee waving away his hopeful claims for a penalty.
For all their possession, it took until the half-hour mark before Spurs really threatened the Watford goal again - a nice move ending with Christian Eriksen slipping in full-back Ben Davies, only for his effort to deflect off Allan Nyom and into the side-netting.
Davies was in again soon after, combining well with Nacer Chadli before seeing his shot saved by Gomes, low down to his left.
Watford's best effort came courtesy of a huge kick from Gomes. A gust of wind carried the ball from one end of the pitch to the other and caused confusion in the Spurs defence.
Tripper came round to deal with it ahead of Odion Ighalo but presented the ball straight to Almen Abdi, whose chipped effort landed on the roof of the net with Hugo Lloris stranded.
Perhaps the best chance of the half though, came five minutes before the break as Eric Dier clipped a superb pass over the Hornets backline for Kane, six yards out. However, the England striker could only volley it over the bar as the ball dropped over the defender's shoulder.
Watford made two changes at the break as captain Troy Deeney, who had not been risked from the start after complaining of a tight hamstring, entered the fray alongside Valon Behrami.
However, it was the home side who came flying out of the traps again in the second period and in one of their early ventures into Watford territory, Chadli collided with Miguel Britos. The defender came off worse and despite initially playing on, had to be replaced nine minutes into the second half, using up Quique Sanchez Flores' final substitution.
By that stage, Spurs had already had a penalty appeal turned down as Gomes appeared to clip Kane, while the Spurs striker had also miscontrolled when well placed in the penalty area.
Alli was introduced just past the hour and it took him just three minutes to make an impact.
Kane flicked the ball on for Mousa Dembele as Spurs broke, the midfielder held up the ball well before feeding Alli who burst to the byline before playing the ball across the face of goal with the outside of his right foot to leave Trippier with a tap in to claim his first goal for the club.
It could have been 2-0 when Eriksen slipped in Erik Lamela but the Argentine sliced the ball wide with his weaker right foot.
Watford were attempting to show more in attack but with little success and Gomes remained the busier of the goalkeepers, pushing away Eriksen's shot from a tight angle and parrying a strong effort from Heung-Min Son.
The visitors' best chance came when Etienne Capoue played a ball over the top for Deeney. However, the Watford skipper lacked the pace to get away from Kevin Wimmer and eventually teed up Ighalo, whose shot was deflected behind.
Spurs saw out the rest of the game with relative ease and now head into next week's Super Sunday clash at the Etihad Stadium ahead of Manuel Pellegrini's side, who lost at home to Leicester earlier in the day.
Player ratings
Tottenham: Lloris (6), Trippier (7), Alderweireld (6), Wimmer (6), Davies (7), Dier (6), Dembele (8), Lamela (7), Eriksen (7), Chadli (6), Kane (6).
Subs: Alli (7), Son (6), Carroll (5).
Watford: Gomes (8), Nyom (7), Cathcart (7), Britos (6), Ake (6), Watson (5), Suarez (5), Abdi (5), Jurado (6), Capoue (6), Ighalo (5).
Subs: Behrami (6), Deeney (6), Prodl (6).
Man of the match: Heurelho Gomes
