Davinson Sanchez snatched the last-gance winner as Tottenham beat struggling Watford 1-0 to carry forward Antonio Conte’s unbeaten start on Saturday.
Sanchez broke Watford’s stubborn resistance at stoppage-time on Vicarage Road.
The Colombian defender’s header gave Tottenham their fifth win in their last seven Premier League matches.
Conte remained unbeaten after eight league games as the Italian continued a club turmoil when he was hired to replace the sacked Nuno Espirito Santo.
Tottenham moved up to fifth, just two points behind fourth-placed North London rivals Arsenal, who have two games to go.
Watford are the only side to keep the Premier League clean-sheet this season and the club are on a top-flight record of 28 consecutive matches without a single.
Claudio Ranieri’s side are just two points above the relegation zone after their sixth straight loss.
To boost their survival hopes, Watford refused to release Emmanuel Dennis for the Africa Cup of Nations.
A statement from the Nigeria Football Federation said Dennis was pardoned because Watford had “sharp fangs”.
Dennis, who has eight goals in this period, did not take long to show why Watford were so eager to keep him.
He created an early opportunity by slipping into Juraj Kukka, who turned straight to make room for a shot at Hugo Lloris.
Tottenham threatened first when Pierre-mile Hjberg fired after Watford’s Craig Cathcart failed to clear Lucas Moura’s cross.
Harry Kane had scored five goals in his previous appearances on New Year’s Day and was hunting another with a powerful drive held by Tottenham striker Daniel Bachmann.
Hjberg unleashed Sergio Reguilan for a brutal strike from the edge of the field, but Bachmann equaled the blast.
Kane should have opened the scoring after half an hour, with the England captain catching Imran Luza’s mistake with a wide rifle.
He moved close to the gap shortly after, rolling his marker to the edge of the field for a moving effort, which was tipped off by Bachchan.
Watford was focused on keeping Conte’s men away, but he made a remarkable move in the end when Josh King’s shot forced a fine save from Lloris.
Bachmann was all that stood between Tottenham and three points as the Austrian repelled Son Heung-min’s strike from near Moura.
Watford thought they had earned a penalty when Joo Pedro’s raid was stopped by a challenge from Lloris, but to the Hornet’s acute dismay, when the VAR was checked in Tottenham’s favour.
The closing stages were delayed by five minutes, while medics arrived to deal with a supporter clearly ill in the Graham Taylor stand.
It proved to be a pivotal moment as Tottenham won it deep in the time added for that stop.
Son won the free-kick out on the left and his set-piece was perfectly placed for Sanchez to go home from close-range.
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