Spurs thrash Watford to keep pressure on Chelsea

Goals from Dele Alli, Eric Dier and a brace from Son Heung-min helped Tottenham Hotspur secure a much deserved 4-0 win against Watford on Saturday, as they trimmed down Chelsea’s lead at the top to four points.

The second-placed side got ahead at the White Hart Lane when Alli’s sumptuous strike curled into the top corner from a Heung-min’s pass on 33 minutes.

And within 11 more minutes Watford were three goals behind as Dier smashed in from Son’s deflected cross 6 minutes after he opener, before Son added a third a minute before the break.

The South Korean forward then made it a brace for himself after halftime when he met Kieran Trippier’s perfect cross with a lovely half-volley at the far post in 54 minutes.

“I was very happy with how we started. Unfortunately they had three great shots from outside and scored three goals. In football you have to score and don’t concede. In the end the power of their team came out and in the second half our motivation was lower,” Watford Boss Walter Mazzarri said after the defeat.

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“Today we were unlucky because their three shots in the first half were from three great players and they scored all three.”

Spurs star striker Harry Kane returned from injury, and was a second-half substitute in the tie. He struck the bar with an injury-time free-kick – the last kick of the game – and Son might have sealed his hat-trick from his earlier pass.

However, while Watford remain on 37 points, Mauricio Pochettino’s side are now four points behind Chelsea, who play at Bournemouth later on Saturday, and 14 points clear of fifth-placed Arsenal, who have two games in hand and play at Crystal Palace on Monday.

“We played really well, with a very good energy and very clear in the way that we tried to beat Watford,” Pochettino said in a post-match conference.

“The team deserve full credit because the energy and the way they played was fantastic. 4-0 but we deserved some more goals. I’m very pleased and very proud of that performance.

“It’s important that we compete and are able to win games. We’re second and the gap now is four but Chelsea have one game more to play. We try to win and be ready for Chelsea.”

League leaders Chelsea will play Bournemouth later, as they continue in their quest for the title this season.

 

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