Nuno previews Watford: "Home factor is huge for us"
Sat 28 August 2021, 12:15|
Tottenham Hotspur
Nuno Espirito Santo expects to face an ‘intense, competitive’ Watford side on Sunday.
After qualifying for the group stage of the UEFA Europa Conference League thanks to a 3-0 win against Pacos de Ferreira on Thursday evening, we’re back home and back into Premier League action with a 2pm kick-off against the Hornets.
Relegated in 2019/20, Watford bounced straight back to the Premier League by finishing second in the Championship last season. Nuno speaks about the Vicarage Road outfit being established in the top flight and, indeed, this will be their sixth season in the Premier League out of the last seven.
They started impressively as well, flying into a 3-0 lead against Villa on the season’s opening day. They won that game 3-2 but lost out at Brighton last weekend, recovering with a 1-0 win against Palace in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday.
We’re going to face a tough opponent, but we are at home, and the home factor is huge for us
Nuno said: “I think Watford is a club that have been able to establish themselves as a Premier League side, despite what happened last season. All of us know Watford pretty well and they've been able to keep the core of the squad, they have good players, a manager that has new ideas and we see Watford as a tough opponent.
“We have a lot of material to analyse, even from the previous season in the Championship. The players are basically the same and the attitude of the team is clear. They are very competitive, very intense.
“We’re going to face a tough opponent, but we are at home, and the home factor is huge for us.”
Meanwhile, Nuno appears to have the headache every Head Coach wants - options, and competition for places. The starting line-up has stayed the same for our Premier League wins against City and Wolves, but Harry Kane started against Pacos de Ferreira and scored twice, newcomers Bryan Gil and Cristian Romero impressed and Giovani Lo Celso was particularly influential in midfield. “There are many options and as long as they are healthy and fit, that’s wonderful for us,” added Nuno.
