Are Spurs ending their away misery?
Although Antonio Conte has put struggling Tottenham Hotspur back on track with 15 out of a possible 21 points from the first seven league games, the Spurs have not been able to win away from home. Away from home, however, the Londoners’ woes continued under the Italian, failing to win any of their last three league away games, picking up just two points from nine and scoring just one goal away from home.
Spurs, who are 13th in the Premier League away table, also have just six goals on record away from home. This means that Conte’s team has the second weakest away attack behind Norwich. Nevertheless, in the run-up to the match between Watford and Tottenham, the odds are swinging in the Londoners’ favour.
The Lilywhites’ away woes have been countered by an unbeaten run that stretches back seven matchdays. Given that the Hornets have lost nine of their last eleven league games, it makes perfect sense to play Watford vs Tottenham tip 2.
After all, Watford have recently suffered five defeats in a row, in which they have always conceded at least one goal, but a total of 15. So if the Spurs charge was to end, it would most likely be at Vicarage Road.
Watford – Statistics & current form
Watford Football Club returned to the country’s top flight in the summer of 2021 in their very first year after relegation from the Premier League, finishing second in the Championship. However, promotion coach Xisco Muñoz was then replaced early in the season by Claudio Ranieri, who once led Leicester City to the championship.
Even under the 70-year-old Italian, however, the Hornets have not yet managed to stabilise. They have already lost twelve of their first 17 league games since re-promotion. Only fellow promoted side Norwich have suffered more defeats (13).
Five defeats in a row with a total of 15 goals conceded
Accordingly, the mood in the camp of the traditional club from the county of Herdordshire was not very contemplative at Christmas and around the turn of the year. Watford have recently suffered nine defeats in their last eleven league games and go into the home game against arch-rivals Tottenham with a negative streak of five lost games in a row.
Most recently, the Hornets suffered a 4-1 defeat at home to struggling Spurs rivals West Ham United at Vicarage Road. That makes a total of 15 goals conceded in the last five league games on record.
Only one win in last 19 games against Tottenham
Accordingly, the Ranieri eleven is left with only the underdog role in this home match against a resurgent Spurs.
Finally, the Hornets’ record against the Londoners reads anything but fearsome. Of their last 19 competitive games against the Lilywhites, Watford have won just one.
Predicted Watford line-up:
Bachmann – Masina – Cathcart – Sierralta – Femenía – Sissoko – King – Tufan – Kucka – Hernández – Dennis
Last matches played by Watford:
Premier League
12/28 2021 – Watford 1 – 4 West Ham
12/10 2021 – Brentford 2 – 1 Watford
12/04 2021 – Watford 1 – 3 Manchester City
12/01 2021 – Watford 1 – 2 Chelsea London
11/28 2021 – Leicester 4 – 2 Watford
Tottenham – Statistics & current form
Tottenham Hotspur have had a mixed fortunes of late following the quarantine measures of early December, which also saw the Londoners make an early exit from the Conference League green table.
In the league, five points out of a possible nine were earned, which also extended Antonio Conte’s unbeaten streak. However, with two games still to play, they are still five points behind city rivals Arsenal, who currently occupy the desired fourth place in the Premier League table.
The second weakest away attack in the league
The Lilywhites’ failure to end their away woes under the new manager must have tasted accordingly bad to those in charge during the week. The two away games under the Italian were also not won (two draws), which was due in particular to the offensive lack of goals.
In the first away game at Everton, Spurs remained goalless (0-0), but on Tuesday evening, despite 51 minutes of superiority away at Southampton, even 20 shots were not enough for a goal from play. Harry Kane was the only man to score from the penalty spot to make it 1-1, while the Londoners missed three great chances in total.
Unbeaten in seven league games under Antonio Conte
Never the less, Watford v Tottenham is a very good bet for Spurs to end their drought away from home at Vicarage Road of all places. After all, the Lilywhites now play the only team in the Premier League that has not kept a clean sheet in a single league game.
And with the momentum in the Londoners’ favour, having picked up 15 of a possible 21 points from their last seven league games under Antonio Conte, nothing should stand in the way of a continuation of their strong record on New Year’s Day. Playing on 1 January, Spurs have won six of their last seven league games.
Predicted Tottenham line-up:
Lloris – Reguilón – Davies – Dier – Sánchez – Royal – Höjbjerg – Winks – Son – Alli – Kane
Last matches played by Tottenham:
Premier League
12/28 2021 – Southampton 1 – 1 Tottenham
12/26 2021 – Tottenham 3 – 0 Crystal Palace
Carabao Cup
12/22 2021 – Tottenham 2 – 1 West Ham
Premier League
12/19 2021 – Tottenham 2 – 2 Liverpool FC
European Conference League Grp. G
12/09 2021 – Tottenham 0 – 3 Rennes
Watford – Tottenham Direct Comparison / H2H Record
Head to head: 8 – 11 – 32
The two teams have faced each other a total of 51 times so far and the Londoners are the clear leaders in the head-to-head comparison with 32 victories. In the last 19 meetings alone, the Hornets have only won once, although they did manage to hold Spurs to a 0-0 draw in their last home game.
Watford – Tottenham Tip
Watford vs Tottenham prediction must take into account that the Londoners are winless away from home in three league games and have the second weakest attack in the Premier League away from home. However, Spurs now visit the only team in the league that has not kept a clean sheet in the 2021/22 season and has conceded 15 goals in their last five games alone, all of which they have lost.
The odds are that the Londoners’ attack at Vicarage Road will now make much more of the chances that inevitably arise. We therefore recommend betting on a win for the Lilywhites.
