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Watford stays perfect with 2-1 win over Tottenham

Watford's Christian Kabasele, on the ground, vies for the ball with Tottenham's Harry Kane, right, during the English Premier League soccer match between Watford FC and Tottenham Hotspur at Vicarage Road stadium in Watford, England, Sunday, Sept 2, 2018. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

WATFORD, England (AP) — Watford kept its perfect Premier League record at Tottenham's expense with a 2-1 win on Sunday.

Spurs made a real early-season statement with a 3-0 demolition of Manchester United on Monday night to make it three wins from three, but could not follow it up as the Hornets beat them for the first time in 11 Premier League meetings.

Tottenham went ahead early in the second half when Abdoulaye Doucoure scored an own-goal, but headers from Troy Deeney and Craig Cathcart in the space of seven minutes turned it around for the hosts.

Watford has now won its first four league games of a season for the first time since 1988, and joins Liverpool and Chelsea as the only teams to have won every top-tier game so far.

The drama of the second half could not have been predicted after a dull opening 45 minutes for fans at Vicarage Road, including former Watford owner Sir Elton John.

In the end, it needed a Watford player to put through his own net to give Tottenham a 53rd-minute lead.

After the Hornets failed to clear the ball properly, Lucas Moura drove the ball across goal and it cannoned off Doucoure and into the bottom corner.

Deeney climbed highest from Jose Holebas' dangerous free kick to power a header into the bottom corner in the 69th for the equalizer.

And Watford showed its prowess from set-pieces again seven minutes later when Cathcart thundered an effort in from a corner to put his side in front.

Tottenham should have equalized as late as the 87th but Harry Kane, whose sub-par performance set the tone for his team, headed over from close range.

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