Premier League

TOTTENHAM 3 (Richarlison 10, 60, Johnson 66) 
BURNLEY 0

IT was a widely held belief that Thomas Frank’s managerial nous doesn’t kick in until a few games are played.

He had a slow start at Brentford, and Tottenham fans were told not to expect too much too early.

With a home start against newly-promoted Burnley, and with Scott Parker in the opposite dug out, there was a sense of bracing for a war of attrition as the Clarets hoped their organisation would frustrate Spurs.

But instead Frank’s new men recovered from the midweek disappointment of losing the European Super  Cup on penalties to Paris St Germain and came out of the blocks like they wanted to win the Premier League title on day one.

Two super goals from Richarlison – who has not only earned another season but will push Dominic Solanke as the attacking focal point – and a neat finish by Brennan Johnson sealed three points.

Richarlison had shown Frank during pre-season that he has usefulness as an Erik Lamela-type late sub, who can spend 15 minutes holding on to the ball and annoying opponents when there is a lead to protect. But in his last two outings he has shown the skill set that made him such a favourite at Everton.

Speaking after the game, Frank said: “Perfect start. Today I’ll enjoy it – I hope the players, the club and the fans enjoy it. It was a good performance, but not a through the roof performance.”

The new Spurs boss also praised the backroom medical staff for getting the perennially injured Richarlison ready. He added: “He was fantastic, to have a striker to take those two chances to help us win the game – he deserves all the praise. He was exceptional; his workrate, his drive, his link up play, his hold up play.”
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Frank said had looked forward to working with Richarlison and understood how hard things had been for him. He continued: “Before the seasons started I had the expectation that he’d be an important part – that hasn’t changed but we shouldn’t get carried away. He hasn’t played every game for the past three to four seasons, so we need to manage him.”

Tottenham hustled Burnley as soon as the season got underway. In the opening minute alone they carved out three chances off the back of one attack. This was a team who looked like they wanted to get out of the blocks as quickly as possible.

The three changes from Wednesday saw Lucas Bergvall, Archie Gray and Johnson come in for the influential Rodrigo Bentancur, Kevin Danso and Paulinha: such is the trust Frank appears to have in his new charges that the two central midfielders who provided Wednesday’s impressive spine were rested.

Pape Matar Sarr, who has looked undroppable throughout pre-season, was deemed to possess enough energy to have recovered from his midweek exploits in time to start.

And it was partly his wise guy positioning that created the opener. Mohammed Kudus chased a seemingly lost cause down the Tottenham right and when Maxime Esteve plonked a clearance up and over the advancing wide-man, Sarr read the play and nicked possession high up. It’s the role Frank has earmarked for him and this was the perfect example as to why.

Sarr laid the ball simply back to Kudus in space, and the new signing’s cross into the box was met by a thunderous Richarlison strike. The Brazilian’s body shape was perfect to arrow a first-time hit low past Martin Dubravka.

It didn’t prompt a deluge: Parker’s side were well organised and had a number of attacks that tested the Spurs defence, keeping the scoreline narrow at half-time.

Nevertheless, there was also a sense that a higher gear was available if needed, and debutant Kudus on the right was a constant threat.

Spurs had looked solid in the opening period of the second half, without seeking to create much. Burnley were working hard to close down channels and there were some tit-for-tat attacks.
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On the hour mark, Kudus took matters into his own hands. Tottenham poured forward and he found himself with little space and Burnley’s Quilindschy Hartman in front of him.

It took a shimmy of the shoulders and a clever dink to give him the yard he needed. His cross found Richarlison in the mood for the spectacular: he launched into a twisting volley that flashed in and brought the house down.

It was a move that saw 17 consecutive passes, including every member of the XI – and it got the ending it deserved.

It was three on 66 minutes and was the icing on the cake for Richarlison. He fought and fought centrally: Sarr seized the opportunity to take the ball forward. His perfectly weighted through pass left Johnson bearing down on goal with two defenders in his wake and Dubravka advancing. He finished calmly and sent the 61,0777 fans into raptures.

Tottenham: Vicario, Porro, Romero,  Van de Ven, Spence, Sarr, Bergvall (Palhinha, 80), Gray (Bentancur, 71), Kudus, (Tel, 85), Johnson (Odobert, 80), Richarlison (Solanke, 71)
Substitutes not used: Danso, Vuskovic, Kinsky, Davies

Burnley: Dubravka, Walker, Ekdal, Esteve, Sonne (Tchaouna, 74), Hartman, Anthony (Edwards, 85), Cullen, Hannibal (Larsen, 63), Laurent (Ugochukwu, 63), Foster (Flemming, 79)
Substitutes not used: Weib, Worrall, Ramsey, Pires.