With both teams picking up three wins from three, this is about as unlikely a ‘big game’ clash as you would expect in early season. Widely tipped to struggle to stay up and to make the top four again, both clubs have quickly put down a lot of the pre-season negativity revolving around their squads.
Spurs come into this one with a very impressive record against Watford, winning five of the last six games against the Hornets. Can they make it six out of seven?
Watford News
Playing in a rather interesting 4-2-2-2 formation, similar to old-school Brazilian teams, Watford are causing confusion with their style of play. The buzzy nature of Andre Grey appears to have revived Troy Deeney, while the creativity of Will Hughes and Roberto Pereyra is having a hugely positive impact on their attacking play.
Midfield duo Etienne Capoue – formerly of Spurs – and Abdoulaye Doucoure provide a shield for defensive duo Christian Kabasele and Craig Cathcart. Not much is expected to change from that tried and tested setup.
Spurs News
The same goes for Spurs with regards to selection: don’t expect much in the way of changes. Eric Dier and Mousa Dembele will continue to provide a midfield screen, while Dele Alli and Harry Kane play off one another to perfection.
Lucas Moura looks back to his Sao Paulo days, while the hugely impressive full-backs Kieran Trippier and Ben Davies provide width all-day long. Expect Spurs to stick to a similar line-up, especially with Erik Lamela and Victor Wanyama both missing out.
Verdict
A draw feels like a likely result; Spurs are excellent through the middle, but will find a congested Watford team harder to play through. They should pose a very interesting test for Spurs, though, with the physicality of Watford likely to outmatch their own strength. We can see this being a tight, congested but well-contested affair.