Ryan Sessegnon scored his first Premier League goal for Tottenham
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.
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Conte's dreamers hit their stride Eric Dier scored his first Tottenham goal since May 2019
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 Ralph Hasenhuttl's side off to a superb start.
That hope was short lived for the visitors 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 in north London.
Player of the match
KulusevskiDejan Kulusevski
with an average of 7.22
- TottenhamTottenham HotspurTottenham HotspurSouthamptonSouthamptonSouthampton
Tottenham HotspurAvgSquad number21Player nameKulusevskiAverage rating
7.22
Squad number34Player nameLengletAverage rating
7.00
Squad number27Player nameLucas MouraAverage rating
6.93
Squad number7Player nameSon Heung-MinAverage rating
6.86
Squad number38Player nameBissoumaAverage rating
6.85
Squad number19Player nameRyan SessegnonAverage rating
6.83
Squad number2Player nameDohertyAverage rating
6.81
Squad number14Player namePerisicAverage rating
6.69
Squad number15Player nameDierAverage rating
6.60
Squad number17Player nameRomeroAverage rating
6.32
Squad number33Player nameDaviesAverage rating
6.32
Squad number30Player nameBentancurAverage rating
6.29
Squad number5Player nameHøjbjergAverage rating
6.14
Squad number12Player nameEmerson RoyalAverage rating
6.07
Squad number1Player nameLlorisAverage rating
6.07
Squad number10Player nameKaneAverage rating
6.04
SouthamptonAvgSquad number8Player nameWard-ProwseAverage rating
6.69
Squad number7Player nameAyodele-AriboAverage rating
6.46
Squad number2Player nameWalker-PetersAverage rating
5.86
Squad number45Player nameLaviaAverage rating
5.81
Squad number31Player nameBazunuAverage rating
5.79
Squad number6Player nameOriol RomeuAverage rating
5.67
Squad number9Player nameA ArmstrongAverage rating
5.59
Squad number19Player nameDjenepoAverage rating
5.48
Squad number35Player nameBednarekAverage rating
5.33
Squad number43Player nameValeryAverage rating
5.28
Squad number22Player nameSalisuAverage rating
5.24
Squad number17Player nameS ArmstrongAverage rating
5.06
Squad number5Player nameStephensAverage rating
4.63
Squad number15Player namePerraudAverage rating
4.31
Squad number27Player nameDialloAverage rating
4.03
Squad number11Player nameRedmondAverage rating
3.78
- Line-upsMatch StatsLive Text
Line-upsTottenham
Formation 3-4-2-1
1Lloris17Romero15Dier33Davies12Emerson Royal30Bentancur5Højbjerg19R Sessegnon21Kulusevski7Son Heung-Min10Kane
- 1Lloris17Romero15Dier33DaviesSubstituted forLengletat 86'minutes12Emerson RoyalSubstituted forDohertyat 87'minutes30BentancurBooked at 75minsSubstituted forBissoumaat 86'minutesBooked at 88mins5Højbjerg19R SessegnonBooked at 24minsSubstituted forPerisicat 66'minutes21KulusevskiSubstituted forLucas Mouraat 86'minutes7Son Heung-Min10Kane
Substitutes
- 2Doherty6D Sánchez11Gil14Perisic20Forster24Spence27Lucas Moura34Lenglet38Bissouma
Southampton
Formation 5-3-2
31Bazunu2Walker-Peters43Valery35Bednarek22Salisu19Djenepo8Ward-Prowse45Lavia6Romeu7Ayodele-Aribo9A Armstrong
- 31Bazunu2Walker-PetersSubstituted forRedmondat 90+2'minutes43ValerySubstituted forStephensat 45'minutes35Bednarek22Salisu19DjenepoSubstituted forPerraudat 72'minutes8Ward-Prowse45Lavia6RomeuSubstituted forDialloat 75'minutes7Ayodele-Aribo9A ArmstrongSubstituted forS Armstrongat 45'minutes
Substitutes
- 1McCarthy5Stephens10Adams11Redmond15Perraud17S Armstrong24Elyounoussi27Diallo37Bella Kotchap
Referee:Andre MarrinerAttendance:61,732Match StatsHome TeamTottenhamAway TeamSouthamptonPossessionHome58%Away42%ShotsHome18Away10Shots on TargetHome8Away2CornersHome10Away2FoulsHome11Away6Live TextPost update
Match ends, Tottenham Hotspur 4, Southampton 1.
90'+4'Full Time
Second Half ends, Tottenham Hotspur 4, Southampton 1.
90'+3'Post update
Attempt missed. Yves Bissouma (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left.
90'+2'Substitution
Substitution, Southampton. Nathan Redmond replaces Kyle Walker-Peters.
90'+1'Post update
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.
90'Post update
Attempt blocked. Ibrahima Diallo (Southampton) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by James Ward-Prowse.
90'Post update
Attempt blocked. Romain Perraud (Southampton) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by James Ward-Prowse.
89'Post update
Son Heung-Min (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
89'Post update
Foul by Jack Stephens (Southampton).
88'Booking
Yves Bissouma (Tottenham Hotspur) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
88'Post update
Foul by Yves Bissouma (Tottenham Hotspur).
88'Post update
Roméo Lavia (Southampton) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
87'Substitution
Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Matt Doherty replaces Emerson Royal.
86'Substitution
Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Yves Bissouma replaces Rodrigo Bentancur.
86'Substitution
Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Clément Lenglet replaces Ben Davies.
86'Substitution
Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Lucas Moura replaces Dejan Kulusevski.
85'Post update
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.
83'Post update
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.
77'Post update
Offside, Tottenham Hotspur. Harry Kane tries a through ball, but Dejan Kulusevski is caught offside.
75'Post update
Foul by Emerson Royal (Tottenham Hotspur).
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Source: bbc.com