The Times - UK (2022-01-01)

the times | Saturday January 1 2022 1GS 11

MATCH IN FOCUS

Watford (4-1-4-1)

Tottenham Hotspur (3-5-2)

D Bachmann

H Lloris

I Louza

E Dennis

C Hernández O TufanM Sissoko J King

J Kucka F SierraltaC CathcartA Masina

S Reguilón

O Skipp

H Winks

D Alli

Son Heung-min H Kane

E Royal

B Davies E Dier D Sánchez

Watford v Tottenham Hotspur

Kick-off: Today, 3pm

TV: Highlights, BBC One, 10.45pm

Radio: BBC Radio 5 Live

Referee: R Jones

Tottenham Hotspur will feel fairly confident when they make

the short trip from north London to Hertfordshire today. They

are unbeaten in all but one of their past 19 matches against

Watford in all competitions – a 2-1 win for the Hornets thanks to

goals from Troy Deeney and Craig Cathcart in September 2018

that was also their first league win against Tottenham since 1987.

It will be an all-Italian encounter in the dugout, with Antonio

Conte facing Claudio Ranieri. Tottenham’s manager is unbeaten

in five Premier League games against fellow Italian bosses,

while Ranieri has lost his last four

Nobody enjoys New Year’s Day quite like Harry Kane. The

Tottenham Hotspur striker has scored five Premier League goals on

that day, the joint-most along with Steven Gerrard and Andy Cole

New year, same Kane

Tottenham have benefitted from an opposition player being sent off in each of

their last three Premier League games. Only one team has seen an opponent sent

off in four consecutive Premier League games – Arsenal in August-September 2001

Will Tottenham’s opponents see red again?

CLASSIC MEETING

GUESS THE

SEASON

Answer:

1975-76

Dennis the menace for Watford

Emmanuel Dennis, who has not

been included in Nigeria’s squad for

the Africa Cup of Nations, has proved

hugely influential for Watford this

season. Since October 23, no player

with a minimum of 270 minutes

played averages a more efficient

minutes per goal or assist in the

Premier League than Dennis

Minutes per goal or assist in

Premier League since October 23

January 2, 1984, Top flight:

Tottenham Hotspur 2, Watford 3

Red cards showing each player that was sent off for Arsenal’s run in 2001 and Tottenham’s run now

Watford

Injured: P Etebo, I Sarr, C Kabasele,

K Baah, N N'Koulou, D Rose,

K Femenía. Doubt: B Foster

Tottenham Hotspur

Injured: S Bergwijn,

R Sessegnon,

C Romero

Harry Kane

Andy Cole

Steven Gerrard

Robin van Persie

Mark Viduka

5

5

5

4

4

Most Premier League goals on New Year’s Day

(all for Tottenham)

(2 for Newcastle Utd, 2 for Fulham, 1 for Man Utd)

(all for Liverpool)

(2 for Manchester United, 2 for Arsenal)

(3 for Leeds, 1 for Middlesbrough)

HARRY

KANE

Tottenham

Hotspur

Arsenal’s run in 2001

Ugo Ehiogu, Middlesbrough (Aug 18)

Lee Bowyer, Leeds (Aug 21)

Danny Mills, Leeds (Aug 21)

Dennis Wise, Leicester City (Aug 25)

Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink, Chelsea (Sept 8)

Tottenham’s run in 2021

Andy Robertson, Liverpool (Dec 19)

Wilfried Zaha, Crystal Palace (Dec 26)

Mohammed Salisu, Southampton (Dec 28)

Emmanuel Dennis

(Watford)

Riyad Mahrez

(Manchester City)

Mason Mount

(Chelsea)

Mohamed Salah

(Liverpool)

Emile Smith Rowe

(Arsenal)

10

7

11

13

6

62

72

73

75

78

Combined goals and assists

Minutes per goal or assist

• 
  
  
  
  1. 
     
  
  
  
  

otspur(3-5-2)

achachmanmannn

Lloris

Louza

DDennennisis

anM Sissoko J King

taC CathcartA MA asina

Winks

DAD Allilli

min H KH Kane

E Royal

DDDierierier D SDSDDSáncáncánchezhehez

spur

10 .45pm

o 5 Live

s

tspur will feel fairly confident when they make

m north London to Hertfordshire today. They

ll but one of their past 19 matches against

mpetitions – a 2-1 win for the Hornets thanks to

Deeney and Craig Cathcart in September 20 18

r first league win against Tottenham since 1987.

lian encounter in the dugout, with Antonio

dio Ranieri. Tottenham’s manager is unbeaten

ague games against fellow Italian bosses,

lost his last four

s New Year’s Day quite like Harry Kane. The

urstriker has scored five Premier League goals on

most along with Steven Gerrard and Andy Cole

e Kane

ve benefitted from an opposition player being sent off in each of

emier League games. Only one team has seen an opponent sent

utive Premier League games – Arsenal in August-September 2 001

m’s opponents see red again?

CLASSIC MEET

GUESS THE

SEASON

Answer:

1975-7 6

P

M

Pre

January 2, 1984, T

To ttenham Hotsp

ng each player that was sent off for Arsenal’s run in 2001 and Tottenham’s run now

r, C Kabasele,

Rose,

Foster

5

5

5

4

4

ague goals on New Year’s Day

(all for Tottenham)

(2for Newcastle Utd, 2 for Fulham, 1 for Man Utd)

(all for Liverpool)

(2for Manchester United, 2 for Arsenal)

(3 for Leeds, 1 for Middlesbrough)

HARRY

KANE

Tottenham

Hotspur

001

dlesbrough (Aug 18)

s (Aug 21)

s (Aug 21)

ester City (Aug 25)

selbaink, Chelsea (Sept 8)

To ttenham’s run in 20 21

Andy Robertson, Liverpool (Dec 19)

Wilfried Zaha, Crystal Palace (Dec 26)

Mohammed Salisu, Southampton (Dec 28)

(

Riya

(Man

Mason M

(Chelsea

Mohamed S

(Liverpool)

Emile Smith

(Arsenal)

7

11

13

6

C

M

The Times called this an “absorbing, if

error-strewn encounter” at White

Hart Lane in which the pattern of play

was “largely determined by the

strong wind that gusted down the

pitch”. An injury-hit Tottenham fell

behind after just eight minutes when

John Barnes sent Mo Johnston

through and he finished past Ray

Clemence. Defensive calamity was to

follow for Tottenham eight minutes

later when Chris Hughton was

dispossessed as he looked to play

back to Clemence, and Johnston

headed Barnes’s cross into an empty

net. Tottenham fought back in the

second half. First Hughton made

amends for his earlier error by

slotting home after having been sent

through by Steve Archibald. Then the

hosts were awarded a penalty for a

handball by Kenny Jackett which

Glenn Hoddle duly converted. But it

was Watford who had the last laugh,

Barnes scoring a 78th-minute penalty

following an impressive run from

George Reilly

9

Present run of nine top-flight

seasons is five more than

their next longest

In 1990-91
recorded best
league finish of
third and won Full
Members’ Cup

They have had a manager in his

twenties (Steve Coppell, first of four

spells, from 1984) and another in his

seventies (Roy Hodgson, up to 2021)

1998

WHEN I FELL

IN LOVE WITH

RUGBY UNION

I fell in love with rugby when

I was 13 or 14 at Wellington

College. I arrived at school

and was surrounded by boys

who were into sport — they

all had the kit, they all

followed teams. I’d been

playing rugby since I was five

but I didn’t really know what

was going on until I got there.

It was the interest these guys

showed that made me fall in

love with it, and then I got an

opportunity to play flanker —

it was my perfect position.

It also coincided with my

dad, brother and I supporting

Wasps and watching every

home and away game. That

was a massive moment,

because then I started to see

players such as Lawrence

Dallaglio, Simon Shaw and

Josh Lewsey on the field. I’d

come out of school on the

weekends and we’d travel

around the country to watch

them. We used to invade the

pitch at Loftus Road and get

our programmes signed, and it

was then that I started to pay

attention to rugby properly.

The turning point came

when I didn’t get into England

Under-16. I got all the way to

the final trial, and to be told I

wasn’t going to be in was a

massive disappointment. But

my dad said to me: “You can

either just play rugby for fun

and keep following Wasps, or

you can take it seriously, come

back next year and see if you

can get into England Under-

18”. I started training with a

family friend who was a

personal trainer, doing hill

runs, lifting weights, and I

made the under-18s.

That brought me to the

attention of Wasps, and I

started playing for their

academy. I was still at school

when I played my first senior

game. Having played in the

back row with Dallaglio and

Johnny O’Connor against

Olivier Magne, Tony Marsh

and Aurélien Rougerie, I was

facing Harrow a week later.

The weird thing was I didn’t

want to be a rugby player — it

was just born out of giving

something a go. I deferred

university to dedicate myself

to it, and 18 seasons later I

was still doing it.

Words by Tomás Hill

Lopez-Menchero

Former England

back row

James Haskell

on being inspired

by rugby

fanatics

at school