MOURA TO RETURN TO SPURS XI

Brazil national team star Lucas Moura is expected to return to the Tottenham Hotspur XI for their Premier League clash with Watford on New Year's Day. The ex-Paris Saint Germain (PSG) attacker was unlucky to miss out on the starting line-up as new manager Antonio Conte made changes to his team for the Southampton game on the back of the phenomenal performance from him during the Premier League London Derby home clash with Crystal Palace. The Southampton game was played on Tuesday evening and almost two days after the Palace game. To this effect, Tottenham Hotspur boss Conte had to make some alterations to his starting XI thereby affecting the aforementioned Lucas Moura.

Lucas Moura was the best player on the pitch as Spurs beat Palace at home. They were the favourites according to the soccer betting odds via soccer betting sites world-wide and they made it count with a 3-0 win at the expense of a Palace side who finished the game with ten men after star ma WilfriedZaha was sent off. Moura finished the game with a goal and an assist.

Ahead of the Watford game, Tottenham have a good chance to close the gap on North London rivals Arsenal in the race for the top four as far as the Premier League log is concerned. The Gunners have five points more than Tottenham who have two games in hand. By the end of New Year's Day, Arsenal could have just two more points than their rivals with the team facing a Manchester City side who have won their last ten games in the league dating back to the loss to Palace at the end of October.

Watford are two points better than Burnley in the last relegation spot and they are underdogs as they welcome Spurs to Vicarage Road. This is according to the soccer betting odds from several soccer betting sites.