Watford VS Tottenham Hotspur Match Prediction
2020-01-18
12:30:00
Watford
VS
Tottenham Hotspur
Our Prediction Tip
Draw will win this match.
2020-01-1812:30:00 Draw will win this match.
Spurs and Watford drew 1-1 earlier this season, but Tottenham have generally had the better of this fixture. Watford have won just once in the last 17 matches between the two, though it took a late Dele Alli equaliser to deny them last time out, after Abdoulaye Doucoure had handed them an early lead.
Here are the results of the last five competitive matches:
Oct 19, 2019: Tottenham Hotspur 1-1 Watford
Jan 30, 2019: Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Watford
Sep 26, 2018: Tottenham Hotspur 2-2 Watford
Sep 02, 2018: Watford 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Apr 30, 2018: Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 Watford
While the league table does not necessarily reflect it, Watford are currently in much better form than Tottenham Hotspur.
The Hornets, with Nigel Pearson in charge, have climbed out of the relegation zone after a run of five league games unbeaten.
Spurs, meanwhile, have lost their last two league games – against Southampton and Liverpool – and their only win in 2020 so far was the mid-week FA Cup replay at home to Middlesbrough.
Harry Kane’s absence alters the dynamic of the Spurs team and combined with injuries elsewhere has halted the revival they initially enjoyed when Jose Mourinho took over.
Watford have a poor record in this fixture, with just one win in the last 17 meetings, but they did draw when they last met.
Abdoulaye Doucoure scored in that game and has been in good form again more recently, while Troy Deeney’s goals and Gerard Deulofeu’s return to more like his best form have also helped.
The Hornets are in much better form than just a few weeks ago, and another point in this game – against a Spurs team stuck in mid-table – would be another step in the right direction and not totally unsurprising.
Tottenham are favourites to beat Spurs, given their bigger reputation, better record in this fixture and higher league position. They can be backed at 5/4 to win Betfair, Betway and Bet365, but the draw at a best price of 13/5 with Bet365 could be tempting.
Certainly, Spurs have looked vulnerable defensively in recent weeks and both teams to score – given Watford’s recent goalscoring charge – is 4/6 with Bet365.
The last match between these two teams finished 1-1, however, and Spurs are lacking Harry Kane – and therefore their main attacking focal point. Under 2.5 goals will return is evens with 888sport and Bet365.
In Kane’s absence, Son Heung-Min is 2/1 to score at any time with Bet365, while back-in-form Troy Deeney is a best price of 21/10 with 888sport.
The league table does not reflect each team’s current form and Watford’s recent resurgence suggests they can take at least a point from this one.
Danny Welbeck and Tom Cleverley are out until the start of next month at least, but Daryl Janmaat and Will Hughes are closer to recovery. Christian Kabasele is suspended and Kiko Femenia has a hamstring strain, but Watford could be unchanged from the win at Bournemouth last weekend.
Troy Deeney – Three goals in the last three league games and four since his comeback form injury in total have been central to Watford’s resurgent form.
Abdoulaye Doucoure – Scored when these teams last met and has added two more in the last two league games too.
Gerard Deulofeu – Scored against Sheffield United and Wolves to play his own part in the Hornets’ resurgence after a quiet start to the campaign.
A 2-0 win at home to Manchester United just before Christmas has started a Watford revival and the Hornets have not lost since, drawing with Sheffield United and beating Aston Villa, Wolves and Bournemouth in their last three league games. They drew 3-3 with Tranmere in the FA Cup in between – surrendering a 3-0 lead against the League One team – but they bounced back in the league as Abdoulaye Doucoure, Troy Deeney and Roberto Pereyra all scored in a 3-0 win at Bournemouth.
Lucas Moura led the line against Middlesbrough in mid-week, having partnered Dele Alli up there against Liverpool in the previous game. With Harry Kane still sidelined, along with Moussa Sissoko, Ben Davies and Hugo Lloris, it could be Moura up front again, though Son Heung-Min and Alli are pushing for recalls to the starting line-up too.
Lucas Moura – No Harry Kane means higher expectation on Lucas Moura, and the Brazilian forward needs to rediscover the form he showed with his Champions League heroics last season.
Son Heung-Min – Another who needs to step up in Kane’s absence, Son has been a shadow of his previous self in the current campaign.
Giovani Lo Celso – Showed the role he can play by netting against Middlesbrough in mid-week and the summer signing needs to start consistently showing his best form.
Tottenham ended a four-game winless streak by beating Middlesbrough last time out – Giovanni Lo Celso and Erik Lamela scoring early goals in their FA Cup third-round reply before Boro’s late reply made for a nervy ending. The 2-1 win followed their second consecutive 1-0 league defeat – this time at home to Liverpool, having also lost away to Southampton.
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