Premier League report: Watford 0-0 Tottenham - Deeney's missed penalty halts Hornets

The Hornets skipper saw his second-half spot-kick saved by Paulo Gazzaniga, but it was another point claimed during the current resurgence under Nigel Pearson.

Watford have now taken 14 points from their last six games and are looking upwards in the final third of the campaign.

They came up against a Spurs team stuttering under Jose Mourinho and lacking a goalscoring threat without the injured Harry Kane.

Mourinho's side have now gone three league games without finding the net and are without a win since Boxing Day, meaning their top-four chances are diminishing with every match.

The Portuguese will surely be knocking on chairman Daniel Levy's door to demand a new striker before the end of the month as Lucas Moura, Dele Alli and Son Heung-min all missed decent opportunities.

Mourinho opted to start Giovani Lo Celso instead of Christian Eriksen in a deep-lying midfield role and the Argentinian was pulling the strings in a slick opening phase for Spurs.

They controlled the opening 15 minutes but only had non-threatening attempts from distance from Erik Lamela and Japhet Tanganga to show for it.

The game became very scrappy, not helped by a technical failure to Michael Oliver's battery equipment which may have stopped him checking a potentially dangerous foul by Etienne Capoue on Tanganga, with the Watford man escaping a card completely.

Play was held up for the best part of three and a half minutes, much to the annoyance of the crowd, who sang about their dislike of VAR.

Capoue was perhaps lucky to stay on the pitch shortly after as he cynically took out Lo Celso and was booked.

Spurs finished the first half on top and could have taken the lead in the 38th minute.

Alli drove forward and played in Moura, but the Brazilian's shot was well saved by an alert Ben Foster, who rushed off his line to get the block in.

After surviving a poor miss by Abdoulaye Doucoure, Spurs had two more big chances to take the lead.

First Alli could not keep a header down from Son's cross and then the South Korean blazed over when he burst clear down the right.

But they needed a big contribution from goalkeeper Gazzaniga to keep them on level terms in the 70th minute as he pushed out Deeney's penalty.

Oliver pointed to the spot when Gerard Deulofeu's shot was blocked by the hand of Jan Vertonghen, but Gazzaniga came to the rescue as he repelled Deeney's effort with a save to his right.

Both sides pushed for a winner in the final 20 minutes, but it was Spurs who got into the better positions.

However, they wasted them until stoppage time, when they thought they had found a winner.

Serge Aurier's low cross led to a scramble and Lamela flicked an effort at goal but new signing Ignacio Pussetto made a fine impression as he cleared the ball off the line, with goal-line technology telling referee Oliver that it had not crossed.

OPTA Stats

• Tottenham have failed to score in three consecutive Premier League games for the first time since November 2013. It’s also just the second time a side managed by Jose Mourinho has failed to score in three league games in a row (Man Utd, October 2016).
• This result ended a run of 93 Premier League games without a 0-0 draw for Tottenham, the second longest such run in the competition’s history (Man Utd, 114 games ending May 2002).
• No side has kept more Premier League clean sheets than Watford so far in 2019-20 (8). However, the Hornets have also failed to score in a league-high 11 Premier League games this season.
• Tottenham kept their first Premier League clean sheet away from home in 382 days, since winning 3-0 at Cardiff on New Year’s Day 2019.
• There were 32 shots without a goal in this match, the most in a Premier League game without there being a goal since Crystal Palace v Cardiff in December 2018 (40).
• Watford’s Troy Deeney has failed to score three of his last six Premier League penalties – he’d only missed one of his first 13 taken in the competition.
• Tottenham are winless in their last six Premier League games in which Harry Kane has played no part (D3 L3), with the Lilywhites failing to score on four occasions in that run.

Live blog

Relive the game with our live blog...

Full time: Watford 0-0 Tottenham

Well I called beforehand that this could be a draw and reiterated it in the second half - did you take it?

It was an enjoyable game, especially in the second half, despite no goals.

Deeney missed a penalty and Spurs had the ball cleared off the line in injury time.

Tottenham have failed to score in the first half of any of their last six Premier League games - their longest such run since December 2012 under Andre Villas-Boas. There are badly missing Harry Kane.

91: Off the line

Pussetto is the hero, but not in the way you think - he's just cleared the ball off the line to stop Spurs taking a dramatic late lead.

A goal mouth scramble sees Lamela get a toe to the ball to knock it passed Foster. The ball is almost fully over the line, 1mm is on the line and thus no goal.

Sums up Spurs' luck at the moment.

90: Injury time

Four minutes added on

88: Watford sub

Another debut, this time for Watford, Pussetto, signed for almost £7million, is on for the injured Sarr, who has pulled his hamstring as he raced back to cover a Spurs attack. A shame for him, as he's had a good game.

87: Forster at the rescue

Spurs come again, this time down the right. Ball crossed in from the right, across the six yard box. Forster gets down bravely and blocks the cross as Spurs players rush in to tap home

85: Lamela over

Spurs have got in a few times down the Watford right in the last few minutes, this time Lamela runs in from behind and collects the ball in the box. He should square it but shoots over from a tight angle - selfish and wasted

82: Fernandes in

As soon as a mention a dream debut Fernandes is played in on the edge of the box, he runs wide on the left and shot across goal from a tight angle, passed Foster, but defenders were there to clear easily as there was no pace on the shot

New boy impact?

If you think it could be a dream debut for the new boy, Gedson Fernandes is 33/1 to score anytime

78: Subs

A debut for new signing Fernandes for Spurs, as he replaces Lo Celso, having joined the club on Wednesday.

Watford also make a change, Chalobah makes way for Pereyra.

78: Sarr over

Watford spread play from left to right and Sarr picks up on the right edge of the area and he fires over

77: Spurs halt Watford

Just for the moment Spurs have managed to take the wind out of Watford's sails, keeping possession well themselves and slowing the game down. It has quietened the home crowd too.

Highlight

Deeney misses his big chance

73: Minute for Taylor

Watford fans stand to remember their former manager Graham Taylor

72: Tottenham sub

First sub of the day and the want-away Eriksen is on for Alli. Could be his last 18 minutes in a Spurs shirt

71: Watford still going for it

Watford aren't feeling sorry for themselves after that pen miss. They continue to push for the goal and pin Spurs back. The visitors can't get out of their own half now

69: Penalty saved!

Watford skipper Troy Deeney steps up to take it and he has certainly hit better in his career as Gazzaniga saves, diving to his right to tip it away.

68: Watford Penalty

Deulofeu twists free in the box and fires fiercely at goal, Vertonghen dives to block it and it clearly hits his hand. Ref gives it and VAR confirms it.

Tip in!

Dale Tempest's pre-match tip of 40+ booking points has come in after Winks and Doucoure saw yellow,- hope you backed it

A draw in the offing?

Very even game now, so if you think it will now end in a draw it is currently 5/6.

I joked beforehand with records on the line for both sides - Watford looking to win four league games in a row and Spurs trying to avoid losing three league games on the bounce - then a draw was likely to ruin our fun. It could actually happen now

64: VAR Check

The action continues with a pen appeal from Spurs for hitting a Watford hand from Lo Celso's shot.

It was a shoulder, so only a corner.

61: Son over

Great driving run from Son down the right to create a chance for himself, but it is a tight angle in the box 12 yards and he is off balance to blaze the ball over

58: Pushing and shoving

A flashpoint here from nothing.

Winks and Doucoure clash with Doucoure ending up on the floor and then getting up to push Winks on the ground. Vertonghen gets involved too and he gets pushed in the face and falls to the ground.

A melee ensues with lots of pushing and shoving from 21 players involved.

VAR checks it all out and decides just yellows for Winks and Doucoure, which seems right and hopefully keeps this now entertaining game flowing

In play tip

Auruer has committed two fouls so far and made four tackle attempts. He is 3/1 to be booked and as Watford turn up the pressure here you can see him taking a card for the team at some point

Back it here

55: Deeney wide

Wow, what a game we have now, both sides going for it and having plenty of shots.

Now Deeney turns in the box on the left, works himself some room and shoots to the far corner, it looks in, but deflects on a defender to go just wide.

Corner comes to nothing

53: Ali over

Tottenham muster an attack, Son cross from the right and Ali does well to get his head on the ball at the back post as he falls over, but puts it over

51: Spurs shooting themselves in the foot

Spurs are playing in dangerous areas around their own half and keep losing it. Tanganga loses a 50/50 in his own box to Sarr, but he slices the ball wide from a similar position to Doucoure a moment before.

46: Watford should score

Watford should be celebrating the opener right at the start of the half.

The home side counter attack and Sarr passes low into the middle of the box, where Deeney dummies and Doucoure picks up the ball, gets within six yards of goal and then shoots wide from a tight angle. It was easier to score

45: Second half underway

Here we go again

SKY BET PRICE BOOST

Will we get goals in the second half? Sky Bet have Price Boosted:

• Aurier to be carded to 11/4
• Both teams to score in the second half to 5/2
• Son to score the first goal to 7/1
• Deeney to score the first goal to 7/1

Markets here

Liverpool v Manchester United

Plenty of info and previews to get your teeth into ahead of Liverpool v Manchester United on Sunday.

Robert O'Connor looks at how an obsession of staying unbeaten could negatively effect Liverpool's title charge

Alex Keble previews the tactics both sides could employ at Anfield and where each team can hurt the other

Sky Sports pundits preview the content, including Phil Thompson, Matt Le Tissier and Charlie Nicholas

Paul Higham previews the game with his best bets

Premier League & EFL tips

During the break, do take a read of our full Premier League tips here and our Sky Bet EFL tips here

They include....

• Sheffield United +1 handicap at evens
• Norwich to beat Bournemouth at 6/5
• Josh Davison to score anytime in Preston v Charlton at 4/1

Half-time stats

Possession: Watford 37.1% v 62.9% Spurs

Shots: Watford 7 v 7 Spurs

Pass success: Watford 68% v 86% Spurs

Total passes: Watford 158 v 279 Spurs

Corners: Watford 1 v 1 Spurs

Yellow Cards: Watford 2 v 0 Spurs

Half-time: Watford 0-0 Tottenham

No goals and only half chances, but still an enjoyable half. Spurs started very well and dominated, but Watford grew into the game and finished the half the better side, with Spurs glad of the half-time whistle.

Moura's had the best chance, with Foster making an excellent one-on-one block during the only clear cut chance of the contest to date.

45: Watford cross

A right-wing cross teases its way towards Deulofeu and Doucoure but is nodded away, but only so far as Capoue. He brings it down on his chest but Alderweireld nicks it off him.

45: Injury time

We will have 2 minutes of added time, not sure how they've worked that out as fixing the ref's VAR earpiece took four minutes. We are into it now.

42: Deeney header

Watford cross from the right and Spurs head clear to the edge of the area. It falls to Chalobah who shapes to shoot, but instead cleverly chips the ball into the six yard box to Deeney, who has positioned himself between defenders.

The Watford skipper directs the ball towards goal, but cannot get the power on the header to trouble Gazzaniga, who catches comfortably.

40: Son over

Stunning ball from Alderweireld from the back which finds Son and the Korean takes a shot at goal while running at full steam. It's always going to be tricky and he blasts it into the stands. Would have been a goal of the season contender is that had gone in.

37: Foster save

Foster's excellent form continues, keeping this at 0-0. Spurs break down the right and Ali chips the ball to Moura to release him in the area. He is one-on-one with Foster on the right of the goal and the keeper is out like a flash, makes himself big and makes the block.

Excellent keeping

35: Yellow Card

Capoue smashes into Lo Celso to stop a Spurs counter. No protest from the player or the fans for that one - that was a hard one.

We are up to 20 booking points already. Two more to get to our 40+ tip

34: Watford getting joy down the wings

Watford are getting on top now, finding a lot of joy down the wings. They win a free kick down the right and it is whipped in, but headed away well by Aurier.

The host re 6/4 to score next

31: Watford go again

After that delay the game has exploded into life once more. Now Watford come forward and get a cross from the right and it is backheeled wide by Deeney.

Watford come again and get a corner. They go short and when the cross comes in it drops in under the cross bar and with the sun in his eyes Gazzaniga does well to tip it away from his goal and danger as a whole.

30: Save

Tottenham move the ball quickly on the edge of the Watford box. Son and Alli exchange passes with the former then shooting from the angle, and a deflection making his effort tougher than Foster would have liked to hold on to.

29: VAR broken

Mike Oliver's VAR ear piece is broken. So play stops for 3.20 minutes as he gets it fixed in order to hear his team at Stockley Park.

27: Stats

Possession: Watford 32% v 68% Spurs

Shots: Watford 3 v 4 Spurs

Pass success: Watford 67% v 89% Spurs

Total passes: Watford 93 v 195 Spurs

25: Game levelling up

Tottenham are still enjoying more possession but Watford are controlling them more now and getting more of the ball themselves.

It is now like two boxers just gentle jabbing at each other from range

Sporting Life ACCA

Head here to back Swansea, Accrington, Doncaster and Rotherham all to win at 12/1 with Sky Bet

21: Free-kick wasted

Chalobah wastes the free-kick, trying to be too clever. He sees Gazzaniga off his line and tries to chip him, but gets it all wrong, as it is well over and well wide.

He should have crossed it

19: Yellow card

The first of the day goes to Tanganga. He messes up a simple defensive header and allows the ball to fall to Sarr and he rugby tackles him to the ground in sheer panic.

Yellow card and now a dangerous free kick to Watford on the right of the area

18: Watford over the bar

Watford are finally getting into this contest, enjoying more possession in the last five minutes.

Capoue gets to the byline down the left and picks out Sarr on the edge of the box. The ball is behind him and he tries to dig an effort out into the top corner and bends it well over the bar.

15: Chalobah key to Watford

Watford have Chalobah to thank for keeping Tottenham at bay so far.

He is working hard to break up Spurs' passing play in the middle of his own half and it has halted the visitors on a number of occasions when they've looked dangerous.

He is reading the play really well and sticking in some vital tackles

10: Spurs on top

Really good start from the visitors here, with Watford struggling to get hold of the ball and thus break out of their own half.

Spurs are getting a lot of joy down both wings and getting some good crosses in. Watford have not been convincing in dealing with those crosses as yet.

Lamela, Son and Lo Celso seeing a lot of the ball and playing some lovely passes and crosses.

Spurs 4/5 to score first as it stands

05: Son into the game early

Lo Celso has started well and plays a curling ball to the left side of the box where Son is in loads of space again.

Mariappa is onto him quickly and closes down the space before he can shoot, from what briefly looked a dangerous position.

02: Bright start

Spurs lob it into the Watford box and shout for handball - it did hit defender Cathcart's hand, but accidentally and VAR isn't bother about it.

As Spurs appeal, Watford break and Deulofeu carries it 50 yards before shooting wide from the edge of the box. Excellent run and he is annoyed he slices his finish. It was an early chance.

VAR

Sorry to mention is so soon and ruin your mood. But just to let you know that the officials have now been instructed to use the VAR monitor in the dugouts to check their decisions - like we saw in the World Cup - rather than just listening to the ref in his ear.

It has only taken until January to put this obvious system in place!

00: Kick-off

And away we go. Both in their traditional home kits - Watford in the yellow, Spurs in the white.

Spurs are playing with a back four, with Winks at the base of the midfield

Teams out

The teams are out at a sunny Vicarage Road. So a reminder of the teams.

Watford: Foster, Mariappa, Cathcart, Dawson, Masina, Sarr, Doucoure, Capoue, Deulofeu, Chalobah, Deeney

Subs: Gomes, Gray, Quina, Holebas, Kabasele, Pussetto, Pereyra

Spurs: Gazzaniga, Tanganga, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Lamela, Winks, Lo Celso, Aurier, Son Heung-Min S, Alli, Lucas Moura

Subs: Vorm, Sanchez, Dier, Sessegnon, Eriksen, Skipp, Fernandes

Fancy cards?

Watford at home during Pearson’s reign have become gritty and there’ll be no more stepping back or half-hearted tackles. Four yellows in the game against Manchester United, five yellows and a red against Villa and another five yellows and a red against Wolves prove this fact.

40+ booking points is 8/11 with Sky Bet

SKY BET PRICE BOOST

Sky Bet have Price Boosted for Watford v Spurs:

• Lucas Moura to score and Tottenham to win in 90 mins is 7/2
• Troy Deeney to score a header is 10/1
• Son Heung-min and Troy Deeney to both score in 90 mins is 7/1

Full markets and bet here

Pearson is the man

Can't say I'm a huge fan of Nigel Pearson, but I cannot knock his achieves as a manager and his quick success at his new club.

Watford have won 13 points under Pearson (W4 D1 L1) - only runaway leaders Liverpool (15) and Manchester City (15) have won more points since his first game in charge.

Indeed, the Hornets have won as many points in their last five Premier League games as they had in their previous 23 in the competition (13).

Dale Tempest - betting insight

Talking of columns, former Fulham and Huddersfield player Dale Tempest provides his Premier League and betting insight every Friday and is on excellent form currently.

He is a big fan of Watford, having tipped them to stay up when Nigel Pearson was appointed and already he looks like he will be right in that one.

Today he's called Watford 'draw no bet' at 11/8.

He says: "I’m particularly keen to get with them this weekend as I’ve not been impressed with Tottenham since Jose Mourinho took over. They seem lacking in so many areas and I no longer see that usual Mourinho stamp of defensive solidity.

The manager's desperation to win the FA Cup also means the full side played in the replay against Middlesbrough on Tuesday as well as the first game up at the Riverside Stadium.

The squad looks thin with no Harry Kane and the early kick-off at Watford will be their fifth game in 18 days. I’m against them."

Read more from Dale here

Our new signing - Laura Woods

By the way, if you missed it this week, Sporting Life made a major signing in the transfer window - Sky Sports and talkSPORTS Laura Woods.

Woodsy will be bring you her unique insight from the Premier League in our fortnightly column, giving her opinion and stories from behind the football curtain.

Her first column reviewed her standout performers of the season so far - do please take a read here

A record to be broken today?

After beating Manchester United, Villa and Wolves, Watford are looking to win four consecutive home top-flight games within the same season for the first time since December 1986.

Having lost to Liverpool and Southampton, Tottenham are aiming to avoid losing three consecutive league games for the first time since November 2012.

So a record could be broken today - or we will get a draw to ruin everyone's fun

Spurs miserable away days

We know Tottenham have struggled away from home over the last 12 months, and this stats just sums up one of the big reasons why...

Spurs are one of just two sides yet to keep an away clean sheet in the Premier League this season, along with Aston Villa.

Spurs have conceded in each of their last 18 away league games, their longest such run in the top-flight since April 1977 (a run of 20).

Meanwhile they have won just two of their last nine away league visits to Watford.

History not good for Watford

Watford are finally out of the relegation zone thanks to a run of six unbeaten. But history is against them today, as they've won just one of their 13 Premier League matches against Tottenham (D4 L8), which was a 2-1 win at Vicarage Road last season

Although I'm sure they will feel in an excellent position to get that second win this afternoon considering Spurs' problems.

SOCCER SATURDAY PRICE BOOST

Another big day ahead and big Price Boosts from Sky Bet:

• Manchester City, Arsenal and Southampton all to win is 11/2
• Manchester City, Arsenal to win and Southampton to draw with Wolves is 15/2
• Manchester City, Arsenal and Wolves all to win is 13/2

Full market here

Pre-game tip

Check out all our Premier League tips here.

For this match we are tipping Watford to score in the first half v Spurs at 5/4. Why? I hear you ask. Well...

You would not back the visitors with real confidence and Watford continue to be undervalued in the markets, available at 23/10 to win and at an appealing 11/8 in draw no bet.

One element of caution is that Watford are now six unbeaten in all competitions and the run has to end eventually. But, nevertheless, this home match, with the early kick-off often producing these sorts of results, is most definitely winnable.

Where some teams often stay tight and grind opponents down, Watford have often taken the initiative and scored early on during this upturn in results.

They have scored in the first half in five of six - the other coming after 50 minutes - so the odds-against price on them scoring in the first half does have appeal to get us off to a good start for the day.

Watford team news

Watford, unsurprisingly, are unchanged from the side that hammered Bournemouth 3-0 last time out.

Exciting name on the bench though - new signing Ignacio Pusseto

Watford: Foster, Mariappa, Cathcart, Dawson, Masina, Sarr, Doucoure, Capoue, Deulofeu, Chalobah, Deeney

Substitutes: Gomes, Gray, Quina, Holebas, Kabasele, Pussetto, Pereyra

Tottenham team news

Jose Mourinho makes three changes to the side that lost 1-0 to Liverpool.

Jan Vertonghen, Erik Lamela and Giovani Lo Celso are in for Danny Rose, Davinson Sanchez and Christian Eriksen, who will be on the bench alongside new loan signing Gedson Fernandes.

Spurs: Gazzaniga, Tanganga, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Lamela, Winks, Lo Celso, Aurier, Son Heung-Min S, Alli, Lucas Moura

Substitutes: Vorm, Sanchez, Dier, Sessegnon, Eriksen, Skipp, Fernandes

Welcome

A good morning to you - hope you've had good weeks.

Here we are, another Saturday, another intriguing day of high level football and Sporting Life's three live blogs.

We begin here with Tottenham at resurgent Watford; at 1500 our second blog focus on all the key action from the Premier League and Sky Bet Championship. Then at 1730 our final live blog was all the action from Newcastle at home to Chelsea.

Follow it all with us, with commentary, video highlights, stats, and in-play odd and tips

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