EPL: Son scores, Kane starts as Tottenham beat Etebo’s Watford

Heung-Min Son’s first-half free-kick proved to be the winner as Tottenham continued their perfect start to the season as they moved top of the Premier League table with a narrow victory over Watford.

Harry Kane started his first league game of the season but it was strike partner Heung-Min Son – making his 200th Premier League appearance – who gave Tottenham the breakthrough with a wicked whipped free-kick delivery that deceived goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann and ended up in the bottom corner, just three minutes before half-time.

Watford had made a bright start and Spurs required Eric Dier to make an important block to deny Juraj Kucka in just the second-minute.

Spurs had dominated proceedings but hadn’t looked like scoring until Son’s fortuitous free-kick, and the hosts weren’t much more creative after the restart, with Kane largely starved of service.

Dele Alli’s first-time shot drifted just wide, while Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s deflected free-kick forced Bachmann into a good save. Kane looked set to score his headline goal but had the ball taken from his feet at the crucial moment just moments after being denied by Watford’s shot-stopper.

That set up a nervy finale but Spurs held on comfortably for a third consecutive victory, and they now top the table without conceding a goal so far.