Match ends, Tottenham Hotspur 1, Watford 0.
TottenhamTottenham Hotspur1WatfordWatford0
Son Heung-min marked his 200th Premier League appearance with the winning goal as Tottenham maintained their 100% start to the season against Watford.
The result means Spurs will top the table heading into September's international break, while Watford are 12th.
It also sees Nuno Espirito Santo become just the second Tottenham boss to win his first three league games in charge of the club, with the last man to accomplish that feat being Arthur Rowe in 1949.
But they were made to work hard for their victory by an accomplished Watford side who were unfortunate to concede when Son's inswinging free-kick deceived goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann and found the bottom-right corner.
While Harry Kane was unusually quiet on his first top-flight start this term for Tottenham, Steven Bergwijn, Eric Dier and Dele Alli all had chances for the hosts.
However, Xisco Munoz's side offered plenty of attacking threat of their own.
Juraj Kucka twice failed to capitalise on good opportunities to score and Emmanuel Dennis also gave Spurs some uncomfortable moments.
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Solid Spurs riding wave of positivity
There was a feeling of buoyancy as Spurs emerged before kick-off, with Kane in particular receiving a rousing reception from the home supporters.
And that positivity was still sweeping around the stadium at full-time with a 300th Premier League home win in the bag.
While newly promoted Watford are likely to have disparate objectives for the rest of the season, Spurs' victory and performance sets them up nicely for a challenging run of fixtures when the Premier League resumes.
London derbies against Crystal Palace, Chelsea and Arsenal are next on the agenda for Nuno's side.
And aside from the relief of keeping Kane - their main goalscoring threat - they also appear to have become more solid in defence since Nuno arrived in the summer.
Spurs are yet to concede a league goal this term and the way in which Dier and Davinson Sanchez both threw themselves in front of efforts that look destined to end up in their net underlined a new attitude to defending.
Watford show their worth
Watford looked aggrieved to have gone into the interval trailing after holding Spurs at bay for much of the first period, and even without the likes of Troy Deeney they showed plenty of attacking intent.
Nigerian forward Dennis was particularly lively coming in off the left to present his marker Japhet Tanganga and the covering Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg with a number of problems.
Ismaila Sarr's pace was also an outlet on the opposite flank - with the Senegal international twice having chances to open the scoring early on.
The Hornets were also unfortunate to see Kucka's goal-bound effort blocked by Spurs defender Dier during a frenetic start.
Even after Spurs went ahead there always seemed a route back into the game for them, however Xisco will be conscious that for all their fine play, they mustered just two shots on target.
Player of the match
Son Heung-minSon Heung-min
with an average of 7.72
Tottenham Hotspur
Avg
- Squad number7Player nameSon Heung-minAverage rating
7.72
Squad number27Player nameLucas MouraAverage rating6.77
Squad number11Player nameGilAverage rating6.65
Squad number20Player nameAlliAverage rating6.58
- Squad number5Player nameHøjbjergAverage rating
6.50
- Squad number25Player nameTangangaAverage rating
6.39
- Squad number23Player nameBergwijnAverage rating
6.38
- Squad number29Player nameSkippAverage rating
6.34
- Squad number3Player nameReguilónAverage rating
6.29
Squad number6Player nameD SánchezAverage rating6.23
Squad number1Player nameLlorisAverage rating6.09
Squad number15Player nameDierAverage rating6.06
Squad number10Player nameKaneAverage rating5.39
Watford
Avg
Squad number19Player nameSissokoAverage rating6.45
- Squad number23Player nameSarrAverage rating
6.17
- Squad number25Player nameDennisAverage rating
5.99
- Squad number33Player nameKuckaAverage rating
5.82
- Squad number7Player nameKingAverage rating
5.75
- Squad number4Player nameEteboAverage rating
5.63
- Squad number5Player nameTroost-EkongAverage rating
5.60
- Squad number31Player nameSierraltaAverage rating
5.60
Squad number15Player nameCathcartAverage rating5.54
Squad number11Player nameMasinaAverage rating5.52
- Squad number26Player nameBachmannAverage rating
5.34
- Squad number2Player nameNgakiaAverage rating
5.32
Squad number8Player nameCleverleyAverage rating5.26
- Squad number29Player nameCucho HernándezAverage rating
5.18
Line-ups
Tottenham
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Lloris
- 25Tanganga
- 6D Sánchez
- 15Dier
- 3Reguilón
- 5Højbjerg
- 29SkippBooked at 85mins
- 20AlliBooked at 61mins
- 7Son Heung-minSubstituted forGilat 88'minutes
- 10KaneBooked at 45mins
- 23BergwijnSubstituted forLucas Mouraat 68'minutes
Substitutes
- 2Doherty
- 4Romero
- 8Winks
- 11Gil
- 18Lo Celso
- 19R Sessegnon
- 22Gollini
- 27Lucas Moura
- 33Davies
Watford
Formation 4-1-4-1
- 26Bachmann
- 15CathcartSubstituted forNgakiaat 51'minutes
- 5Troost-Ekong
- 31Sierralta
- 11Masina
- 4EteboBooked at 28mins
- 23Sarr
- 19SissokoBooked at 54minsSubstituted forCleverleyat 71'minutes
- 33Kucka
- 25DennisBooked at 90mins
- 7KingSubstituted forHernándezat 65'minutes
Substitutes
- 2Ngakia
- 3Rose
- 6Louza
- 8Cleverley
- 12Sema
- 17Fletcher
- 27Kabasele
- 29Hernández
- 35Elliot
- Referee:
- Andre Marriner
- Attendance:
- 57,672
Match Stats
Home TeamTottenhamAway TeamWatford
- Possession
- Home58%
- Away42%
- Shots
- Home15
- Away9
- Shots on Target
- Home8
- Away2
- Corners
- Home10
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home8
- Away14
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Tottenham Hotspur 1, Watford 0.
Booking
Emmanuel Dennis (Watford) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Lucas Moura (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Emmanuel Dennis (Watford).
Post update
Corner, Tottenham Hotspur. Conceded by Cucho Hernández.
Post update
Corner, Tottenham Hotspur. Conceded by Francisco Sierralta.
Post update
Offside, Watford. Peter Etebo tries a through ball, but Ismaila Sarr is caught offside.
Post update
Hugo Lloris (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Tom Cleverley (Watford).
Post update
Offside, Tottenham Hotspur. Lucas Moura tries a through ball, but Harry Kane is caught offside.
Substitution
Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Bryan Gil replaces Son Heung-Min.
Post update
Davinson Sánchez (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Emmanuel Dennis (Watford).
Booking
Oliver Skipp (Tottenham Hotspur) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Foul by Oliver Skipp (Tottenham Hotspur).
Post update
Ismaila Sarr (Watford) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Attempt saved. Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Japhet Tanganga.
Post update
Corner, Tottenham Hotspur. Conceded by William Troost-Ekong.
Post update
Davinson Sánchez (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Comments
Join the conversation
Look at the top…then look at the bottom…now back to the top. Look at the bottom again…now back to the top…bottom again and finally back to the top!
Repeat for the next 2 weeks.
Happy international break everyone!
(Well, not for everyone obviously…😉)
COYS!
Spurs: 9 pts and 0 goals conceded
Ars*n*l: 0 pts and 9 goals conceded.
Purrrrrfect symetry
Come on you Spurs!!!!!
Cant complain about that!
COYS
It's just a pity, it won't last