EPL: Watford in Spurs den

Tottenham vs. Watford
Venue: Tottenham Stadium
Kick off: 2PM

Tottenham Hotspur will be looking to open the new season with three successive Premier League victories for just the second time in 12 years, when they host newly-promoted Watford at lunchtime.

The Hornets, meanwhile, have a dismal away record in London, winning just two of their last 22 league games in the capital and failing to win in each of their last 10.

Nuno Espirito Santo has made an assured start to life in the Tottenham dugout, claiming three wins and three clean sheets from four matches across all competitions.

Successive 1-0 Premier League victories against Manchester City and Wolverhampton Wanderers were followed by a comfortable 3-0 win against Pacos de Ferreira in their Europa Conference League playoff on Thursday night.

Spurs fans were delighted to see club legend Harry Kane in the starting lineup for the first time this season, following the talismanic striker’s confirmation that he is to stay in North London this summer.

Kane captained the side and made an instant impact, scoring a brace in the first 34 minutes.

Vitorino Antunes’s 70th-minute own goal wrapped up the victory as the Lilywhites overturned their 1-0 first-leg deficit to reach the group stage.

With Kane’s transfer saga finished, for now, Nuno will be fully focused on what could prove to be a challenging run of fixtures over the next couple of months, with league games against London rivals Chelsea, Arsenal and West Ham United, as well as a clash against Manchester United.

Firstly though, they must face newly-promoted Watford this weekend, a side who they have lost to just once in their last 16 league meetings, going down 2-1 at Vicarage Road in September 2018.

Indeed, Spurs have an impressive record against newly promoted teams, suffering defeat in just one of their last 27 home league games, with that loss coming against Nuno’s Wolves side in December 2018.

Claiming all three points today will see Nuno become just the second Tottenham manager in the club’s history to win each of his first three league games in charge, after Arthur Rowe did so back in August 1949.

Watford began life back in the top flight with an impressive 3-2 victory against Aston Villa on the opening weekend, though they were quickly brought back down to earth when they suffered a 2-0 away defeat at Brighton & Hove Albion last Saturday.

Xisco Munoz’s men did, however, bounce back from their defeat on the South Coast with a narrow 1-0 League Cup victory over Crystal Palace on Tuesday, with Ashley Fletcher’s 86th-minute winner rewarding the Hornets with a third-round tie against Championship outfit Stoke City next month.

After conceding four goals in their first two games, the Hornets boss was pleased that his side kept a clean sheet in midweek and showed signs of improvement defensively.

Improvements away from home are now required for Watford if they are to stay clear of the relegation zone this season.

The ‘Orns have lost each of their last seven Premier League away games, failing to score on five occasions during this run.

Watford also have a poor record away at Tottenham; despite winning their first three away league matches against Spurs between 1982 and 1985, the Hornets have since lost nine of their last 10 league visits.

They did, however, come close to ending this run when they last visited the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, as Dele Alli scored a late equaliser to rescue a 1-1 draw for the hosts in October 2019. Watford impressed on this occasion and Munoz will need a similar performance from his side if they are to have any chance of success today.

Tottenham possible XI: Lloris, Tanganga, Romero, Dier, Reguilon, Hojbjerg, Skipp, Dele, Lucas, Kane, Son.

Watford possible XI: Bachmann, Femenia, Troost-Ekong, Kabasele, Rose, Cleverley, Etebo, Louza, Sarr, Dennis, Sema.