Tottenham came from a goal down to get their Premier League campaign off to a flying start with a comfortable home victory against Southampton.
Spurs fell behind in the 12th minute to James Ward-Prowse’s volley, driving the ball into the ground and watching the bounce beat Hugo Lloris, but Antonio Conte’s side’s response was swift and ruthless.
Ryan Sessegnon headed in his first Premier League goal for the club from an inviting Dejan Kulusevski cross to draw the hosts level and by the half-hour mark they were in front.
Eric Dier had not scored in three years but met a whipped Son Heung-min delivery with a low, flicked header into the far corner.
Tottenham carried that confidence into the second half and Mohammed Salisu turned Emerson Royal’s cross into his own net, before the impressive Kulusevski grabbed a well-taken fourth to cap a dominant display.
Conte’s dreamers hit their stride
A full pre-season under Conte, six new signings and permission to be “dreamers” from their Italian boss means Spurs fans will be expecting big things from their side this campaign.
“Why not winning the Champions League and the Premier League?” Conte joked beforehand about his ambitions, though it took Ward-Prowse’s strike, following smart play from Moussa Djenepo, to spark his side into life on the opening day.
With Richarlison suspended and other new recruits still building up to full fitness, there was a familiar look to the Spurs XI, albeit with two unfamiliar names on the scoresheet.
Sessegnon and Dier have been two of the biggest beneficiaries of the Conte era, and both took their headers well to put Spurs in front – the more predictable sources of Son and Kulusevski producing moments of quality to tee up both defenders.
This was the first time Tottenham have played a home Premier League game at 3pm on Saturday in 973 days, since beating Burnley 5-0 in December 2019, and the first time they have begun a season in this kick-off slot for more than 20 years.
Rarely in those two decades has there been as much optimism in north London and that is unlikely to have been dampened by what for the most part was a confident and entertaining performance.
Sessegnon also had an effort ruled out for offside immediately after the break and opposite wing-back Royal’s low ball forced Salisu into an own goal, before the Brazilian teed up Kulusevski to find the bottom corner two minutes later.
The focus at Southampton has been on youth this summer after signing six players with just two over the age of 20, but it was Saints’ Mr Reliable – and last season’s top scorer Ward-Prowse – who got the visitors off to a superb start.
That hope was short lived for Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side who, as well as having the worst opening-day record of all current Premier League teams, finished last season with four successive defeats and did little to rid themselves of that hangover at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Player of the match
KulusevskiDejan Kulusevski
Line-ups
Tottenham
Formation 3-4-2-1
- 1Lloris
- 17Romero
- 15Dier
- 33DaviesSubstituted forLengletat 86′minutes
- 12Emerson RoyalSubstituted forDohertyat 87′minutes
- 30BentancurBooked at 75minsSubstituted forBissoumaat 86′minutesBooked at 88mins
- 5Højbjerg
- 19R SessegnonBooked at 24minsSubstituted forPerisicat 66′minutes
- 21KulusevskiSubstituted forLucas Mouraat 86′minutes
- 7Son Heung-Min
- 10Kane
Substitutes
- 2Doherty
- 6D Sánchez
- 11Gil
- 14Perisic
- 20Forster
- 24Spence
- 27Lucas Moura
- 34Lenglet
- 38Bissouma
Southampton
Formation 5-3-2
- 31Bazunu
- 2Walker-PetersSubstituted forRedmondat 90+2′minutes
- 43ValerySubstituted forStephensat 45′minutes
- 35Bednarek
- 22Salisu
- 19DjenepoSubstituted forPerraudat 72′minutes
- 8Ward-Prowse
- 45Lavia
- 6RomeuSubstituted forDialloat 75′minutes
- 7Ayodele-Aribo
- 9A ArmstrongSubstituted forS Armstrongat 45′minutes
Substitutes
- 1McCarthy
- 5Stephens
- 10Adams
- 11Redmond
- 15Perraud
- 17S Armstrong
- 24Elyounoussi
- 27Diallo
- 37Bella Kotchap
- Referee:
- Andre Marriner
- Attendance:
- 61,732
Live Text
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Match ends, Tottenham Hotspur 4, Southampton 1.
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Second Half ends, Tottenham Hotspur 4, Southampton 1.
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Attempt missed. Yves Bissouma (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left.
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Substitution, Southampton. Nathan Redmond replaces Kyle Walker-Peters.
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Attempt saved. Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from more than 35 yards is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Yves Bissouma.
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Attempt blocked. Ibrahima Diallo (Southampton) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by James Ward-Prowse.
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Attempt blocked. Romain Perraud (Southampton) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by James Ward-Prowse.
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Son Heung-Min (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Jack Stephens (Southampton).
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Yves Bissouma (Tottenham Hotspur) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Foul by Yves Bissouma (Tottenham Hotspur).
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Roméo Lavia (Southampton) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Matt Doherty replaces Emerson Royal.
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Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Yves Bissouma replaces Rodrigo Bentancur.
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Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Clément Lenglet replaces Ben Davies.
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Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Lucas Moura replaces Dejan Kulusevski.
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Attempt missed. Romain Perraud (Southampton) left footed shot from the left side of the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by James Ward-Prowse with a cross.
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Attempt saved. Son Heung-Min (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Harry Kane.
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Offside, Tottenham Hotspur. Harry Kane tries a through ball, but Dejan Kulusevski is caught offside.
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Foul by Emerson Royal (Tottenham Hotspur).
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