Marco Silva had no doubts about the main talking points from Watford’s 1-1 draw with Tottenham Hotspur; Davinson Sanchez’s arm in the face of Richarlison was a “clear” sending off and “it is a penalty” when Eric Dier handled in injury time. But the Hornets head coach wasn’t dissatisfied with a point given the calibre of the opposition, despite playing against ten men for most of the second half.

Christian Kabasele had put the home side in front from a Tom Cleverley corner, but Spurs were back on terms 12 minutes later when Son Heun-min turned in a Christian Eriksen corner.

Moments before that goal though, the Hornets had their first penalty appeal turned down when Richarlison thought he was tugged back after Spurs inadvisably let the ball bounce in their own penalty area.

Silva admitted he had “some doubts” about Martin Atkinson’s decision not to award a spot-kick on that occasion, but reflecting on the game beforehand he said: “We did everything to try and win the match but you need to understand against who we are playing. A tough game for both teams, even a tough game for the officials.

“We knew before the match how important it was to achieve a good result, even though we are playing against a very good team with a lot of quality. We played well, but in some moments of the game we could do better with the ball.

“In the first minutes of the game I felt our players were a little bit anxious again. Of course in some moments in the last match (the 4-2 defeat against Manchester United) we made some mistakes and maybe we had similar thoughts, but after the first goal we were a bit more comfortable in the match. But in one moment, in one counter attack, we could do better with the goal we conceded.

“In the second half after the red card we tried, we had a fantastic shot from [Abdoulaye] Doucoure (which hit the post), but we could finalise in a different way the last pass, the last cross and we could do better. But we achieved one point, even against these teams we can do everything to win, but we cannot lose against ten men.”

Asked about the sending off, Silva responded: “For me it looks clear. He stopped Richarlison with the arm in his face, it is clear. Maybe if you don’t do it in the face it is yellow card, but is a decision for the referee.”

As for the two penalty decisions – starting with Dier’s late intervention – the Hornets boss remarked: “It’s a penalty. I have some doubts in the first half before Tottenham scored to make it 1-1, I have some doubts in that moment.

“It is not an easy decision for the ref in that moment, but in the last minute maybe Eric Dier doesn’t want to put the hand on the ball, but it looks a penalty.”