Tottenham vs Southampton: Highlights of Tottenham’s victory, goals from Sessegnon, Dier, and Kulusevski

Tottenham vs Southampton: Highlights of Tottenham’s victory, goals from Sessegnon, Dier, and Kulusevski

On the first weekend of the 2022–23 Premier League season, watch Tottenham take on Southampton live right here.

Hello and welcome to live coverage of Tottenham’s 2022/23 Premier League opener against Southampton.

The brand new season is finally here, with plenty of optimism in N17 following the club’s Champions League finish back in May and also their transfer business this summer.

Antonio Conte has added six new players to his Spurs squad, with Fraser Forster, Clement Lenglet, Djed Spence, Ivan Perisic, Yves Bissouma, and Richarlison all signing on ahead of the new campaign.

Oliver Skipp is unable to play today due to an injury, and Richarlison is absent due to a suspension. He has a hairline fracture in his heel, according to London.

After losing nine of their final twelve games in 2021–2022, Southampton, who prevailed 3-2 in the equivalent match, will be determined to get off to a strong start this season.

Alasdair Gold and Rob Guest, two Tottenham correspondents, are covering the game with all the action from inside the stadium as well as reactions from the crowd and the media.

For all of our most recent updates from Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, scroll below.

Full-time

Tottenham wins 4-1 in N17.

What a start to the new season.

Four Spurs Subs

Mass of Spurs changes as Lucas, Lenglet, Bissouma, and Doherty replace Kulusevski, Davies, Bentancur, and Emerson. Big hugs for all of them from Conte and an ovation from the crowd.

Son Effort

Harry Kane sets up Son for a chance on the break after Kulusevski had played him through but the shot is low and at the keeper.

Kulusevski scores

It’s 4-1 now as Emerson gets to the byline and knocks the ball inside to Kulusevski who curls it low and into the net.

Own goal

Spurs have a third goal and it’s a bizarre one. They break up the pitch and Emerson runs on to a Son pass and hits a low cross along the six-yard box. Somehow Salisu manages to slice it behind him and into his own net.

Denied

Ryan Sessegnon with another chance as Kulusevski plays him in but he’s denied by a good Walker-Peters tackle.

Ball in the net

Ryan Sessegnon has the ball in the net after a calm finish within the first minute of the second half but he’s offside.

Peep

We’re up and running again.

Armstrong and Stephens on for Armstrong and Valery at the break

Here are Alasdair’s thoughts on that first half
Spurs started the game well, pressing high up the pitch with plenty of intensity, only to find themselves behind thanks to James Ward-Prowse bouncing home a shot from Saints’ first real foray forward.

However, Antonio Conte’s men used football right out of his playbook to turn the game around with Dejan Kulusevski curling in a perfect cross to the back post where Ryan Sessegnon did exactly what the boss demands of his wing-backs by rushing into power a header home.

Spurs’ second goal also came from a defender as Eric Dier stooped to head home Son Heung-min’s curling low cross.

Conte will be content with that first half and his team could have added to their total with their fast breaks up the pitch, although he will acknowledge that Saints also look dangerous on the break.

The difference for Tottenham now is that the Italian can look to a bench packed full of options and five of his new signings. With five substitutes able to come on in the second half, Conte can make more of an impact himself with his changes as the game wears on and attempt to manage matters.

Kane chance

Quick break from Spurs and Kane makes a good run to fire a shot on the fall that the keeper blocks on the line. Romero heads wide from the ensuing corner.

Son shot

Could have been a third there for Spurs as Sessegnon forces Saints into a mistake and Son runs through and cuts inside before launching a shot over the bar. Kane was not happy as he was in plenty of space in front of goal.

Eric Dier scores

Spurs take the lead as Eric Dier stoops to head home a curling Son cross. 2-1 to the hosts.

Ryan Sessegnon scores

Lovely goal from Ryan Sessegnon out of the Conte playbook. Dejan Kulusevski’s cross, cutting in from the right, and the left wing-back comes in at the back post and plants a powerful header past the keeper. Just what he and Spurs needed.

GOAL

Ward-Prowse gives Southampton the lead with a volley from Djenepo’s cross.

The ball in from the left just went over Hojbjerg’s head and the Saints man was on hand to net from the edge of the box.

Almost time

The players are now out on the pitch at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

We’re minutes away from kick-off.

Here are Alasdair’s thoughts on that Spurs line-up today

Only at Spurs could circumstances dictate that you sign six new players in a blaze of activity and none are in your first line-up of the new season.

In the end, Antonio Conte has named almost the same starting line-up as the one that played against Norwich in the final match of last season, with Cristian Romero replacing Davinson Sanchez.

Elsewhere it’s all about fitness for Perisic, Bissouma, Lenglet, and Spence as well as Matt Doherty and there is the suspension for Richarlison and injury for Oliver Skipp.

It makes for a bench that is a world away from the one that ended the campaign, with four academy youngsters named that day. Now Conte has options everywhere which are exactly what he was calling for, the ability to make changes and rotate without dropping the level of his XI on the pitch.

Especially with five substitutes able to come on, he will be able to do that throughout this encounter.

Conte deliberately chose tough teams for Spurs to face in pre-season with high-intensity games and he will be hoping that this was the perfect way to prepare for the Saints.

Some fans might be disappointed that none of the new signings are starting but they mustn’t forget that this is the team that secured fourth place last season, but now it has a strong squad around it to make it so much more.

• Tottenham – 4/11
• Draw – 17/4
• Southampton – 7/1

Source: football.london