2-1 v Watford FC - 28 December 2015 - Away

Tottenham Hotspur Badge

Spurs 2

Watford FC

Watford FC

1

  • Ighalo
    41'
  • Aké
    63'
Details
Match Number

7155

Opposition
Watford

Watford FC

Competition
Premier League

Premier League

Season

2015/16

Date

28th December 2015

Kick Off

15:00

Venue

Vicarage Road

Attendance

20,730

Referee

Anthony Taylor

League Position

4th

Opposition League Position

8th

Opposition Form

WWLWDD

Weather at Kick Off

11.5° - Clear

Facts & Milestones
  • 7119th overall match (3386 wins, 1571 draws, 2149 losses)

  • 5542nd competitive match (2483 wins, 1303 draws, 1756 losses)

  • team

    61st match vs Watford FC (41 wins, 12 draws, 8 losses)

  • competition

    905th Premier League match (364 wins, 234 draws, 307 losses)

  • 6513th match in England (3050 wins, 1467 draws, 1983 losses)

  • 24th match at Vicarage Road (15 wins, 6 draws, 3 losses)

  • 6th consecutive match with a goal scored

  • There were 3 changes to the starting lineup from the last match.

Report

Son Heung-Min scored a dramatic late winner as Tottenham moved up to third in the Premier League with victory over 10-man Watford.

Erik Lamela put the visitors in front when he stroked in a shot after Dele Alli dispossessed Craig Cathcart.

Odion Ighalo equalised when his determination helped him beat Eric Dier and poke home.

Nathan Ake was sent off for a challenge on Lamela before Son scored with a deft flick from Kieran Trippier's cross.

Tottenham had struggled to make the most of their numerical advantage following Ake's dismissal on 63 minutes.

Indeed Watford looked the more likely goalscorers in the closing stages as they earned a succession of corners and could have taken the lead themselves.

Ben Watson's corner almost crept in before keeper Hugo Lloris fended the ball away, with goalline technology showing the ball was only inches away from going in.

Moments later, Spurs scored the winner. Trippier's crosses from the right had caused the hosts problems throughout and it was his delivery that led to Son's clincher.

There was a suggestion of offside in the build-up to the goal, but referee Anthony Taylor allowed it to stand.

Ake caught Lamela studs first and high on the leg as he attempted to get to a bouncing ball.

Taylor took his time before producing his red card to the apparent bemusement of the Watford left-back and the home dugout.

"My view was amazing but I don't like to talk about the referees. It is football," said Watford boss Quique Sanchez Flores.

"It is difficult," said Spurs counterpart Mauricio Pochettino. "From my point of view, it was an 'orange' or red - but more than yellow."

Apart from a meeting between two of the league's form teams, the match at Vicarage Road also saw strikers Ighalo and Harry Kane on the same pitch.

Ighalo showed strength and determination in scoring a goal that took him to 14 for the season and 30 in 2015.

Chances were infrequent for Kane and the closest he came was when a brave near-post header went wide.

He was more of a presence than his opposite number, though, was involved in more of the build-up play and also helped out defensively.

Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino on whether Spurs can win the title: "In football a lot can happen. The most important thing is we believe - we have a strong squad to squad to fight for it."

He added: "The victory is very important for us, we worked hard to try and win and are happy because Watford are a difficult team and beat Liverpool recently.

"The condition of the pitch made it difficult to play how we usually play but we showed great maturity. We need to feel proud for the players. It was a great effort after only playing 48 hours ago."

Timeline
KO

Odion Ighalo

41'
HT

Miguel Britos

52'

Jurado

58'

Nathan Aké

63'

Troy Deeney

64'

Odion Ighalo

65'
FT
Location
League Table
# Team PL W D L GF GA GD PTS
1
Leicester city
18 11 5 2 37 25 12 38
2
Arsenal
18 11 3 4 31 18 13 36
3
Manchester city
18 11 2 5 37 20 17 35
4
Tottenham Hotspur Badge Tottenham Hotspur
18 8 8 2 31 14 17 32
5
Crystal palace
18 9 3 6 23 16 7 30
6
Manchester united
18 8 5 5 22 16 6 29
7
Watford
18 8 5 5 23 18 5 29
8
Liverpool
18 7 6 5 21 22 -1 27
9
Everton
18 6 8 4 32 24 8 26
10
West ham united
18 6 8 4 26 22 4 26
11
Stoke city
18 7 5 6 16 16 0 26
12
Southampton
18 6 6 6 25 21 4 24
13
West bromwich albion
18 5 5 8 17 24 -7 20
14
Afc bournemouth
18 5 5 8 22 32 -10 20
15
Chelsea
18 5 4 9 23 29 -6 19
16
Swansea city
18 4 6 8 16 24 -8 18
17
Norwich city
18 4 5 9 20 32 -12 17
18
Newcastle united
18 4 5 9 19 33 -14 17
19
Sunderland
18 3 3 12 19 37 -18 12
20
Aston villa
18 1 5 12 15 32 -17 8
# Team PL W D L GF GA GD PTS
1
Arsenal
19 12 3 4 33 18 15 39
2
Leicester city
19 11 6 2 37 25 12 39
3
Manchester city
19 11 3 5 37 20 17 36
4
Tottenham Hotspur Badge Tottenham Hotspur
19 9 8 2 33 15 18 35
5
Crystal palace
19 9 4 6 23 16 7 31
6
Manchester united
19 8 6 5 22 16 6 30
7
West ham united
19 7 8 4 28 23 5 29
8
Watford
19 8 5 6 24 20 4 29
9
Stoke city
19 8 5 6 20 19 1 29
10
Liverpool
18 7 6 5 21 22 -1 27
11
Everton
19 6 8 5 35 28 7 26
12
Southampton
19 6 6 7 26 23 3 24
13
West bromwich albion
19 6 5 8 18 24 -6 23
14
Chelsea
19 5 5 9 23 29 -6 20
15
Norwich city
19 5 5 9 22 32 -10 20
16
Afc bournemouth
19 5 5 9 22 34 -12 20
17
Swansea city
19 4 7 8 16 24 -8 19
18
Newcastle united
19 4 5 10 19 34 -15 17
19
Sunderland
18 3 3 12 19 37 -18 12
20
Aston villa
19 1 5 13 15 34 -19 8
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