Premier League

TOTTENHAM 1 (Son 55)
MANCHESTER CITY 0

SPURS ignored the doomsday soothsayers who said without Harry Kane, they would be in trouble this season.

Instead Nuno Espirito Santo’s first competitive match showed a collection of players who want very much to play for the badge and are bored of all the Kane transfer chit-chat.

The effort in the morale-boosting one-nil victory over champions Manchester City this afternoon (Sunday) was exceptional – and Nuno deserved to wallow in the jubilant atmosphere.

A Heung-Min Son strike early in the second half was enough to seal all three points – but after the game, Nuno showed he does not want any hype.

“This was not perfect,” said the new Spurs boss. “We still have a long way to go. But I am very proud of the way the players worked and we are thankful for the support from the fans.”

Nuno did not wish to be drawn on individuals – though he called Son a “killer, who will do better in the future”. He also praised how the side had worked his game plan.

“We are trying to be organised, first of all,” he added. “We were brave how we retrieved the ball, and we finished the match really strong. But there are a lot of things we can improve on.”

And the elephant in the room – namely what Kane was doing while his current employers were beating his suitors – was dealt with quickly and professionally.

Nuno revealed: “Harry worked with us this morning. He is preparing himself, and when he is ready, he will join the group and help the team.”

City started well, having two good chances in the opening five minutes that they failed to hit the target with. But after some early pressure, Spurs settled and found the measure of what was in front of them.

Lucas Moura brought his fine pre-season form to the Premier League, looking Tottenham’s most incisive and unpredictable player going forward.

On the half-hour mark Moura saw a volley knee’d off the line, and 10 minutes later the winger created perhaps Spurs best chance of the half.

He again got clear and his ball into Son’s feet set the South Korean striker away. Son worked the space on to his favoured right foot and sent a curler that looked destined for the bottom corner until City defender Benjamin Mendy got his backside in the way and deflected the ball narrowly wide.

With both sides creating without really testing the goalkeepers in the opening 45, it could be said the two teams were crying out for a goal scorer – and with Kane deemed not ready to start for Spurs, and yet to be sold to City, his absence looked telling for both managers.

Tottenham showed intent from the start of the second half, putting in a couple of dangerous crosses, while Steven Bergwijn set-up Dele Alli for a shooting chance just missed.

Then came the all-important breakthrough on 55. City had committed themselves going forward, and when Moura tidied up on the edge of his own penalty box, the ball broke for Bergwijn.

The Dutch forward set off with little support and City players swarming round him. He burst centrally, his pace taking him into space, before spotting Son peeling away to his right.

Son still had plenty to do when Bergwijn found him, and he did it in spectacular fashion – cutting inside and unleashing an effort into the far corner from just outside the box.

City looked short of answers, seemingly unable to comprehend an opponent who did not sit back and watch them make pretty patterns on the ball.

Instead, Nuno’s side battled savagely for everything, and it meant that the champions could not get into any rhythm or stride.

Spurs saw the game out with a degree of comfort not normally associated with this squad, sealing a very satisfying start to a new season.

Spurs: Lloris, Tanganga (Doherty, 82), Sanchez, Dier, Reguilon, Hojbjerg (Romero, 89), Skipp, Alli, Bergwijn (Lo Celso, 76), Moura, Son
Substitutes not used: Gollini, Winks, Gil, Sissoko, Davies, Scarlett

Manchester City: Ederson, Cancelo, Dias, Ake, Mendy (Zinchenko, 78), Fernandinho, Gundogan, Sterling (Jesus, 70), Grealish, Torres, Mahrez (De Bruyne, 78)
Substitutes not used: Steffen, Walker, Stones, Laporte, Rodri, Silva