Heading home - how we have fared in our opening home games in years gone by
Thu 17 August 2023, 16:00|
Tottenham Hotspur
In years gone by, we have enjoyed a fine run of results in our first home Premier League match of the season.
As we look ahead to our first home match of our 2023/24 league campaign - Saturday's clash with Manchester United - we take a look at our recent season opening outings on our own turf.
In our last five league seasons, on just one occasion have we not taken all three points from our opening home game – that was a 1-0 defeat to Everton at the start of the 2020/21 campaign when football moved behind closed doors in line with COVID-19 regulations.
Ahead of United's visit to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, here’s a look back at those four home victories...
2018/19 | Spurs 3-1 Fulham
Beginning back in August, 2018, and at our then home of Wembley, we continued our bright start to the 2018/19 season with a 3-1 win over Fulham.
Having seen all three goals in our 2-1 opening day win away at Newcastle United scored in the first 18 minutes, we endured something of a dry patch against the newly-promoted side under the arch before Lucas Moura's stunning curling effort on 43 minutes to put us ahead - that was his first-ever Premier League goal!
We were pegged back seven minutes into the second half when future Spurs man Ryan Sessegnon cut back for Aleksandar Mitrovic to nod home from close range but, come the 74th minute, we were back ahead thanks to a corker of a free-kick from range by Kieran Trippier. Harry Kane then made sure of the win three minutes later, cutely converting from the angle for his first August league goal.
2019/20 | Spurs 3-1 Aston Villa
Newly-promoted Aston Villa nearly caused an upset on the opening day of the 2019/20 season when they visited north London, but a second-half comeback saw us storm to victory.
Within 10 minutes of the game, we were behind at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as John McGinn raced through before finishing, leaving us with it all to do. We pushed hard to get back into the game but Villa should discipline and organisation, frustrating us at every turn. If we were to get back into the game, it would require something special - and that is exactly what new man Tanguy Ndombele provided.
On his Spurs debut, the recent arrival from Lyon was the man to get us level, whipping the ball home from range in style on 73 minutes. Back on terms, we then stepped up the pressure and ultimately found a winner with just four minutes remaining as Harry Kane was alive to a loose ball in the box before finishing expertly. Our number 10 then added a second in stoppage time with a curling finish into the right-hand corner of the net to wrap up all three points in N17.
2021/22 | Spurs 1-0 Manchester City
As fans returned to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in full for the first time in 17 months following the global COVID-19 pandemic, we put on a show of heart, resilience and discipline in front our supporters as we fought valiantly for a deserved three points against the reigning league champions Manchester City.
On the front foot from the off, Lucas Moura almost had us ahead in the early exchanges when he saw an effort cleared off the line by Ilkay Gundogan before Heung-Min Son sent an effort narrowly wide.
Looking the more likely of the two sides to beak the deadlock, we did eventually find the breakthrough 10 minutes into the second half as a swift counter-attack led by Steven Bergwijn saw Sonny cut inside from the right before whipping a fine curling effort into the opposite corner from the edge of the area. We could have then doubled that advantage moments later, but Bergwijn skewed wide from close range. In the closing stages, we had to remain firm at the back as City looked to force the issue, but we remained strong and claimed an impressive three points.
2022/23 | Spurs 4-1 Southampton
We made the perfect start to last season as we ran out convincing winners over Southampton at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Despite having fallen behind to the Saints with James Ward-Prowse volleying the visitors in front on 12 minutes, we responded well to that adversity and were level nine minutes later as Ryan Sessegnon headed home Dejan Kulusevski’s raking cross - that was his first ever league goal for the Club.
Eric Dier then turned the game on its head 10 minutes later as he headed us in front before a Mohammed Salisu own goal gave us breathing space on 61 minutes. Dejan then completed the scoring two minutes later with a fine curling effort, securing us all three points and sending us to the top of the Premier League table.
