Watford 1-4 Tottenham: Premier League as it happened

That is it for this particular live blog, but stay with IBTimes UK for live coverage of that all-London affair between Arsenal and Crystal Palace from the Emirates.

Goodbye for now.

Watford were always likely to find the going extremely tough today with so many players missing, but even Mazzarri will have been shocked by the ineptitude of their display.

The injury-plagued Hornets, who have won just one of their last seven matches, drop below West Ham to 13th due to an inferior goal difference. They travel to Stoke on Tuesday with an eight-point buffer to the bottom three that should at least ensure they are not dragged into any relegation dogfight.

That late goal takes a sliver of shine off the result, but a nevertheless dominant fourth successive victory for Tottenham that temporarily lifts them up to third. Arsenal can replace them with a win over Crystal Palace this afternoon.

Pochettino will also be thrilled that the game script allowed him to give the likes of goal-scorers Alli and Kane extra rest before that important clash with Chelsea on Wednesday night. 10 points now separate the London rivals.

Full-time

Watford 1-4 Tottenham

A messy late consolation goal for Watford as a dangerous free-kick is inadvertently flicked on by Trippier at the front post before being scrambled in on the rebound by ex-Spurs centre-back Kaboul.

Very much a case of too little, too late.

Goal: Watford 1-4 Tottenham (Younes Kaboul)

Janssen beats the turf in frustration after being stopped in his tracks by a well-timed sliding challenge from Prodl.

Three minutes of added time for Watford to endure.

Ironic cheers from the home supporters greet a late Watford attack. They have been simply pitiful as an attacking force for the first 85 minutes of this match.

Dier hacks off the line after Lloris spills a cross following a brush from Sinclair. The referee had already blown for the foul.

Dier shoots over on the half-volley after Cathcart, who has been notably off the pace today following pre-match fears that he would not be fit, is booked for a late sliding tackle on Janssen.

That was quite a yelp from the Dutch striker, who does not appear to be injured.

Pochettino, who swapped Rose for Ben Davies a few minutes ago, uses his final available substitution to replace Kane with Vincent Janssen.

Mazzarri's third change sees former Tottenham midfielder Capoue make way for Christian Kabasele.

Two more chances for Son to add his name to the scoresheet, but the South Korean is dispossessed by Doucoure before blazing over. He was set up by Eriksen on both occasions.

Already hurt in an earlier collision with Wimmer, Amrabat, due to travel to the Africa Cup of Nations next week, sinks to the turf after clashing with Victor Wanyama.

He signals that he needs to be replaced and former Liverpool striker Jerome Sinclair eventually comes on in his place. Not sure that Mazzarri wanted to substitute the Moroccan winger initially.

Mason makes a good start to his Premier League career, tracking back well to thwart the danger posed by Son.

Obviously fearing a potential suspension, Mazzarri wisely takes off Holebas. Watford simply cannot afford to add to their existing list of absentees.

The former Greek international makes way for debutant Brandon Mason. This should prove quite the baptism of fire for the academy graduate.

Prodl treads on the back of Son's foot and earns a yellow card for his troubles.

Holebas, already on a booking, then brings down Trippier from behind. The Tottenham full-back looks to have landed heavily on his right shoulder and will require treatment.

With one eye no doubt firmly fixed on Wednesday's visit of leaders and London rivals Chelsea to White Hart Lane, Pochettino withdraws Alli and sends on young Harry Winks.

No hat-trick today for the 20-year-old, who has netted twice and also rattled the crossbar. Not a bad week's work.

Capoue is whistled for a push on Rose and Kane's deceptive low free-kick is pushed around the post by Gomes. Watford survive the subsequent corner.

Finally something resembling defending from Watford as Cathcart narrows the angle on Son, who was teed up by a pass from Kane, and forces him to fire a tricky left-footed shot over the top.

Watford attempt to launch a rare counter, but Eriksen nips in before Doucoure can attempt to pick out Deeney.

And there's your answer.

With the second period barely a minute old, Kane seizes on a sloppy clearance from Prodl and cuts inside Guedioura before sending in a cross towards the unmarked Alli.

The midfielder's first touch is poor, but he recovers to beat Gomes at the near post.

Back-to-back braces for Alli.

Goal: Watford 0-4 Tottenham (Dele Alli)

The second half is off and running. Can an undermanned Watford muster some sort of response, or are rampant Tottenham set to run up a cricket score in Hertfordshire?

Complete and utter domination from Tottenham, who look set to start 2017 with a bang.

Depleted Watford have just not been at the races at any stage. They have a lot of work ahead to avoid this becoming a real humiliation.

Half-time

Watford 0-3 Tottenham

Watford's growing frustrations tell as Holebas is cautioned for a poor late challenge on Eriksen.

There will be one minute of added time played at the end of this first half.

Simply calamitous from Watford and Tottenham extend their advantage even further.

Kaboul makes a complete hash of his attempt to clear Kane's left-wing cross. Alli then reacts far quicker than a sleepy Cathcart and takes a touch before slotting home beyond Gomes.

Goal: Watford 0-3 Tottenham (Dele Alli)

Son dispatches Eriksen's low free-kick narrowly wide of the near post on the volley. That could and probably should have been 3-0.

Watford will be desperate to hear that half-time whistle.

Watford have been wretched so far this afternoon, but they almost come close to reducing the deficit from a free-kick. Alderweireld's awkward clearing header goes backwards and Kane of all people reacts quickest to deny Deeney in the six-yard box.

After a promising run from Son is cut short, Alli keeps Tottenham's latest attack alive with an excellent pass out to Trippier.

The back-up right-back then proceeds to uncork another terrific ball that Kane, who manages to squeeze himself in between Cathcart and Prodl, prods past the helpless Gomes from close range.

All too easy for the visitors in this one-sided first half.

Goal: Watford 0-2 Tottenham (Harry Kane)

Relentless Spurs come again and only a last-ditch effort from Sebastian Prodl prevents Kane from doubling his tally after a wonderfully inventive lofted pass from Alli.

Injury-stricken Watford desperately need to gain a foothold in this game.

Tottenham have simply dominated this first half and they deservedly take the lead just shy of the half-hour mark.

After receiving the ball from Eriksen wide on the right, Trippier picks out Kane with a gloriously incisive pass. The England striker then peels off the back of Holebas and guides his shot between Gomes and the near post.

Goal: Watford 0-1 Tottenham (Harry Kane)

Crossbar!

Tottenham are attacking at will now. Wimmer wins the ball in midfield and the confident Alli smashes a shot against the woodwork.

They are getting closer.

Tottenham are now beginning to apply some serious pressure as Eriksen fizzes an effort narrowly over the crossbar.

Before that, Dier, evidently unaware of Gomes' advanced position, tried to guide Alderweireld's long ball back into the path of Kane instead of attempting to loop his header over the goalkeeper.

Tottenham push for the opening goal as Trippier sees a shock firmly blocked. Dele Alli then dummies an Eriksen pass and Rose blasts well over from the edge of the penalty area.

Almost an opening for Watford, but Deeney's knockdown intended for Ighalo is scooped up by Hugo Lloris. How the home fans would love that previously prolific partnership to reignite once more under Mazzarri.

At the other end, Kaboul stands tall to head away Kane's cross.

Watford display a bit of bite in midfield and look to push forward for the first time in this opening 20 minutes. However, Dier cleans up ahead of Guedioura and the ball is played just behind Deeney.

Kane, who ended a run of three matches without a goal against Southampton and also skied a woeful second-half penalty into orbit, exchanges passes with Rose before curling a long-range shot wide under pressure from Doucoure.

Early controversy here as Tottenham are denied a penalty. Rose heads for the byline and pulls the ball back for Eriksen, whose powerful left-footed drive strikes the outstretched arm of Capoue.

Oliver is unmoved. That looked like a very decent shout indeed at first glance.

Amrabat brings down Rose and Tottenham's first corner of the day is headed away by Cathcart. Trippier then produces a deep cross that misses its intended target.

Rose vs Amrabat might be an intriguing battle to watch this afternoon. Capoue tries to sweep a pass out to Holebas but succeeds only in finding touch.

Watford's defence afford Son far too much space and breathe a sigh of relief as his hopeful shot is fired straight at Gomes.

Gomes confidently punches an early Christian Eriksen free-kick away from Harry Kane after Amrabat is penalised for a trip on Danny Rose. Assertive goalkeeping from the ex-Spurs stopper, although the offside flag was up anyway.

Referee Michael Oliver blows his whistle and the first Premier League match of 2017 is now underway.

Both teams are wearing their home strips, with Tottenham kicking from left to right in this first half.

Zuniga has pulled up at the end of the warm-up and he will be replaced in the starting XI by Ighalo. Watford's injury crisis continues unabated.

Michael Folivi earns a promotion and completes a quartet of academy graduates on the bench.

No shortage of rainfall at Vicarage Road as both sets of players complete their pre-match warm-ups. Kick-off is now less than 10 minutes away.

A first Premier League start is quite the birthday gift from Mazzarri to Doucoure. The French midfielder's only previous top-flight appearance came with a late cameo in Watford's 2-1 home defeat to Chelsea in August.

Pochettino, meanwhile, believes the chance to at least temporarily leapfrog Arsenal and Manchester City into third will act as a major source of inspiration for his team this afternoon.

"Is a big motivation," he said. "The most important thing is to try to play well and try to win and we will see. We are ready to compete. We know this is a very difficult place but we come from Southampton after a very good performance and now we want a repeat."

Speaking on Watford's lengthy casualty list ahead of kick-off, left-back Jose Holebas said: "We have to continue on and cannot worry about injuries. It's a bad moment now with injuries, Boxing Day was a bad day for us.

"We have had light sessions and recovered well for today's game. We don't worry about individual players, we focus on ourselves. We have to be strong from the beginning because we know they are on fire. We have to be focussed from the first minute."

It's all change in the Tottenham defence, where Kieran Trippier and Kevin Wimmer are drafted in to replace Walker and Vertonghen. Toby Alderweireld's return sees Eric Dier pushed into midfield, with Mousa Dembele dropping to the bench.

Moussa Sissoko also makes way for Heung-Min Son.

Four changes for Watford. Cathcart is deemed fit enough to deputise for the banned Britos and make his first league start since September, while Janmaat and Behrami are replaced by Juan Camilo Zuniga and Abdoulaye Doucoure.

The latter, signed from Rennes in February before being loaned straight to La Liga outfit Granada, is set to make his maiden top-flight start. In the final third, captain Deeney is restored to the starting XI in place of Odion Ighalo.

The Hornets' plethora of injury problems sees Mazzarri name three young academy graduates - Brandon Mason, Carl Stewart and Charlie Rowan - on the bench.

Heurelho Gomes, Younes Kaboul and Etienne Capoue all line up against their former club.

Tottenham XI: Lloris (c), Trippier, Alderweireld, Wimmer, Rose, Dier, Wanyama, Eriksen, Alli, Son, Kane

Subs: Vorm, Carter-Vickers, Davies, Dembele, Winks, Sissoko, Janssen

Watford XI: Gomes, Kaboul, Prodl, Cathcart, Zuniga, Capoue, Guedioura, Holebas, Amrabat, Doucoure, Deeney (c)

Subs: Pantilimon, Kabasele, Mason, Stewart, Rowan, Sinclair, Ighalo

The teams are in...

Like Britos, Tottenham defensive pair Kyle Walker and Jan Vertonghen are both sidelined by suspension after their respective yellow cards picked up in the 4-1 comeback win at Southampton.

Toby Alderweireld, who had been suffering from a minor back problem, is expected to be fit after missing that clash at St Mary's due to a virus. However, winger Erik Lamela is still yet to recover from a lingering hip injury.

The hosts are currently besieged by fitness problems, with frustrated manager Walter Mazzarri reeling off the names of absentees at the start of his pre-match press conference.

Valon Behrami, Daryl Janmaat, Adrian Mariappa, Roberto Pereyra, Isaac Success, Ben Watson and Stefano Okaka are all out, while defender Miguel Britos is suspended after collecting his fifth yellow card of the season in the Boxing Day draw with Crystal Palace. Craig Cathcart is rated as doubtful, meanwhile.

Nordin Amrabat and Adlene Guedioura remain available for Watford's next two matches before flying to Gabon for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations.

The spectacular fireworks have finished, Auld Lang Syne has been sung and 2017 is officially here. And what better way to begin the New Year and banish those post-Christmas blues than with another double dose of Premier League football?

Arsenal vs Crystal Palace is on the agenda for later this afternoon, but first we head to Vicarage Road where Tottenham Hotspur, having ended a dismal run of eight consecutive away matches without a win against Southampton in midweek, are seeking to collect their fourth straight top-flight victory over a mid-table Watford side whose chances of ending a three-game winless streak are set to be greatly damaged by the absence of as many as nine first-team players.

Live match updates to come after kick-off at 13.30 GMT. Before then, we will guide you through all the latest injury lines, with breaking team news and confirmed lineups expected in approximately 30 minutes.