Spurs came into the game on the back of two disappointing domestic cup exits in the past week, but were facing a Watford side they had beaten in all five previous Premier League meetings, while only conceding one goal in the process. However, the Hornets looked set to threaten that record as Craig Cathcart put the visitors in front late in the opening half. Spurs improved significantly after the break and their pressure paid off with Son Heung-min marking his return to the side with an equaliser 10 minutes from time, before Fernando Llorente grabbed the winner on 87 minutes. The win moves Spurs seven points clear of rivals Arsenal in fifth spot, while they are now just two points behind second-placed Manchester City and seven off leaders Liverpool who were held to a 1-1 draw by Leicester. Watford remain in ninth place on 33 points but are just two behind Wolves in seventh spot Tottenham's starting XI had eight changes from the side that started in the 2-0 FA Cup defeat at Crystal Palace with forward Son back from international duty with South Korea at the Asian Cup, while Hugo Lloris, Moussa Sissoko, Toby Alderweireld and Christian Eriksen were other notable faces back. Watford also had eight changes for their 2-0 FA Cup win at Newcastle as Daryl Janmaat, Cathcart and Will Hughes were the only players to stay in the XI. Both sides had spells in the opening 10 minutes with Spurs enjoying some good possession and the Hornets looking to utilise the counter-attack. It was Son who engineered the first attempt of note in the 10th minute when he turned Jose Holebas inside the area and curled a lovely effort just wide from 20 yards. On 15 minutes, Eriksen tried his luck from outside the area and the effort took a deflection off Adrian Mariappa which subsequently wrong-footed Ben Foster who did well to get a big hand on the ball to push it away from goal. It was Watford’s turn to go close on 29 minutes when Gerard Deulofeu cut in from the left channel and hit a tasty strike inches wide of the post with Lloris frantically diving across his area to see it behind. Just as Spurs looked like clicking into gear, they fell behind to a set-piece goal on 38 minutes when Cathcart met Holebas’ corner from just six yards out and watched his header beat Lloris via a deflection off Davinson Sanchez. Spurs tried a quick response with Son’s ball across the area inches ahead of Serge Aurier who couldn’t get a decisive touch to guide it into the net. Fernando Llorente should have levelled seven minutes into the second half when he got across Mariappa to connect with a Sissoko cross only for Foster to deny him with a fine save. But when the rebound rolled back into his path, the Spaniard somehow put his effort over the top from six yards. On 54 minutes, Alderweireld failed to sort his feet out in time to put an Eriksen cross towards the near post into the back of Foster’s net as he scuffed it wide. Spurs continued to press in search of an equaliser and they almost pulled one out of the bag on 63 minutes when Eriksen’s free-kick into the middle took a nick off Troy Deeney and Foster’s brilliant reaction save prevented a certain own goal. Jan Vertonghen then put the ball back into the middle towards Llorente and again the big striker was off-target with his headed attempt. Watford substitute Ben Wilmot then cleared a Lucas Moura cross-shot off the line on 68 minutes, before Deeney went close at the other end two minutes later with an angled strike towards the near post which Lloris touched behind. Spurs continued to dominate proceedings until the 79th minute when Isaac Success should have wrapped up the win for Watford but he somehow missed from 15 yards after being teed up by Deeney. That miss proved massive as Spurs were level a minute later when Llorente played in Son and he took a touch before lashing a lovely strike beyond the dive of Foster. And the comeback was completed three minutes from time when Llorente made amends for several key misses throughout the game as he guided his header from a Danny Rose cross just inside Foster’s far post to win the game.
Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Watford
However, the Hornets looked set to threaten that record as Craig Cathcart put the visitors in front late in the opening half.
Spurs improved significantly after the break and their pressure paid off with Son Heung-min marking his return to the side with an equaliser 10 minutes from time, before Fernando Llorente grabbed the winner on 87 minutes.
The win moves Spurs seven points clear of rivals Arsenal in fifth spot, while they are now just two points behind second-placed Manchester City and seven off leaders Liverpool who were held to a 1-1 draw by Leicester.
Watford remain in ninth place on 33 points but are just two behind Wolves in seventh spot
Tottenham's starting XI had eight changes from the side that started in the 2-0 FA Cup defeat at Crystal Palace with forward Son back from international duty with South Korea at the Asian Cup, while Hugo Lloris, Moussa Sissoko, Toby Alderweireld and Christian Eriksen were other notable faces back.
Watford also had eight changes for their 2-0 FA Cup win at Newcastle as Daryl Janmaat, Cathcart and Will Hughes were the only players to stay in the XI.
Both sides had spells in the opening 10 minutes with Spurs enjoying some good possession and the Hornets looking to utilise the counter-attack.
It was Son who engineered the first attempt of note in the 10th minute when he turned Jose Holebas inside the area and curled a lovely effort just wide from 20 yards.
On 15 minutes, Eriksen tried his luck from outside the area and the effort took a deflection off Adrian Mariappa which subsequently wrong-footed Ben Foster who did well to get a big hand on the ball to push it away from goal.
It was Watford’s turn to go close on 29 minutes when Gerard Deulofeu cut in from the left channel and hit a tasty strike inches wide of the post with Lloris frantically diving across his area to see it behind.
Just as Spurs looked like clicking into gear, they fell behind to a set-piece goal on 38 minutes when Cathcart met Holebas’ corner from just six yards out and watched his header beat Lloris via a deflection off Davinson Sanchez.
Spurs tried a quick response with Son’s ball across the area inches ahead of Serge Aurier who couldn’t get a decisive touch to guide it into the net.
Fernando Llorente should have levelled seven minutes into the second half when he got across Mariappa to connect with a Sissoko cross only for Foster to deny him with a fine save. But when the rebound rolled back into his path, the Spaniard somehow put his effort over the top from six yards.
On 54 minutes, Alderweireld failed to sort his feet out in time to put an Eriksen cross towards the near post into the back of Foster’s net as he scuffed it wide.
Spurs continued to press in search of an equaliser and they almost pulled one out of the bag on 63 minutes when Eriksen’s free-kick into the middle took a nick off Troy Deeney and Foster’s brilliant reaction save prevented a certain own goal. Jan Vertonghen then put the ball back into the middle towards Llorente and again the big striker was off-target with his headed attempt.
Watford substitute Ben Wilmot then cleared a Lucas Moura cross-shot off the line on 68 minutes, before Deeney went close at the other end two minutes later with an angled strike towards the near post which Lloris touched behind.
Spurs continued to dominate proceedings until the 79th minute when Isaac Success should have wrapped up the win for Watford but he somehow missed from 15 yards after being teed up by Deeney.
That miss proved massive as Spurs were level a minute later when Llorente played in Son and he took a touch before lashing a lovely strike beyond the dive of Foster.
And the comeback was completed three minutes from time when Llorente made amends for several key misses throughout the game as he guided his header from a Danny Rose cross just inside Foster’s far post to win the game.