Confident Tottenham start season with big 4-1 win

Football

Published: 07 Aug. 2022, 09:48 Updated: 07 Aug. 2022, 09:49

Confident Tottenham start season with big 4-1 win

Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min celebrates with Eric Dier and Ryan Sessegnon after Dier scored the club's second goal in a game against Southampton at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Saturday. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

Tottenham Hotspur kicked off their 2022-23 Premier League campaign with a big 4-1 win over Southampton on Saturday, looking calm and confident as they overcame an early deficit to start the new season with a bang.

Spurs fell behind in the 12th minute to a bouncing volley from James Ward-Prowse at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, but responded quickly to level the playing field and then capitalize on some fine offensive performances to dominate the game.

Ryan Sessegnon opened the scoring for Spurs, picking up his first Premier League goal for the club by heading in a Dejan Kulusevski cross in the 21st minute.

Korean forward Son Heung-min was unable to string together an effective attack of his own, but did prove instrumental in the second goal, sending a low ball into the box that Eric Dier headed home.

For Dier, who has gone through an impressive transformation under manager Antonio Conte, the goal was his first in the Premier League in three years. The defender has been especially active during the offseason and did score during Spurs' exhibition game against Team K-League at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Mapo District, western Seoul last month.

Spurs continued the onslaught after the break. Goal No. 3 came in the 61st minute, when Southampton's Mohammed Salisu knocked Emerson Royal's cross into his own net for an own goal, with Kulusevski nailing a beautiful finish to score the fourth goal in the 63rd minute.

Although neither Son or Kane were able to pick up a goal of their own, the pair, alongside Kulusevski, provided plenty of quality opportunities.

Spurs start the 2022-23 season in a rare state of optimism for the North London club. The bookmakers have Spurs set for a third place finish — which would still be a solid achievement compared to recent years — but there is a sense among the fans that the team this year could go considerably further.

"We won three important points, but the most important thing was the way we got three points — with really good football, with the ball, without the ball, with important pressure," said Conte after the game. "The way we decided to win the ball after we lost it was another important aspect.

"We are working to implement football knowledge over the last season. We have seen this team has seven months of work on its back."

As of press time, Spurs had taken the biggest win of the three favorites, with Liverpool held to a 2-2 draw by Fulham and Manchester City set to play West Ham on Sunday.

Elsewhere in the Premier League, Arsenal took a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace, Bournemouth beat Aston Villa 2-0, Newcastle beat Nottingham Forest 2-0, Leeds beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-1 and Chelsea beat Everton 1-0. Leicester City is also set to face Brentford on Sunday, with Manchester United also due to take on Brighton.

Spurs will face Chelsea in their next Premier League game on Aug. 14.

BY JIM BULLEY [jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr]