Tottenham Hotspur began their new Premier League campaign on a triumphant note, celebrating their return home following their UEFA Europa League final victory with a convincing 3-0 win over Burnley on the opening day of the season.
The match marked the top-flight debut for new Spurs manager Thomas Frank, who took the reins after Ange Postecoglou’s departure. Despite a recent UEFA Super Cup defeat, his team showed no signs of a hangover, with Lucas Bergvall forcing a fine save from Burnley’s debutant goalkeeper Martin Dubravka within the first minute.
Tottenham quickly took the lead when Mohammed Kudus capitalized on a defensive error from Burnley, picking out an unmarked Richarlison, who confidently swept the ball into the corner. Burnley, under new manager Scott Parker, appeared to struggle with their new five-at-the-back formation and failed to create much until the latter part of the first half, when they had shots from Josh Laurent, Lyle Foster, and Hannibal Mejbri.
The visitors felt aggrieved heading into the break when a penalty appeal for a push on Jaidon Anthony was waved away by the referee. The second half, however, started much like the first, with Tottenham on the front foot. The game then became an end-to-end affair, with both sides trading chances.
Tottenham finally broke the game open on the hour mark when Kudus delivered a cross that Richarlison met with an acrobatic volley, doubling his tally and putting the game out of reach. Brennan Johnson sealed the victory by breaking clear and dinking the ball over the onrushing Dubravka to make it 3-0.
The win extends Spurs’ impressive record of winning their opening home league game for a fifth consecutive season, while Burnley’s loss marks their fourth straight opening-day defeat in the Premier League.
