As one of the more threatening Premier League teams of recent times, Tottenham Hotspur are a side most clubs look to avoid opening their season against.
In a repeat of four years ago, it will be Manchester United’s task to face the North London side first-up this time around, and ahead of the curtain-raiser, Ashley Thornton-Jones takes a look at the club’s five best opening day victories from the Premier League era:
05. Sheffield Wednesday 3-4 Tottenham Hotspur
This fixture from the 1994/95 season may not be the North London side’s most convincing opening day victory, but it certainly remains the most entertaining. Teddy Sheringham and Darren Anderton produced the kind of form that the national team were lacking during the previous year’s World Cup qualification campaign, scoring one goal each to send Spurs into a two-goal lead. Wednesday fought back, but Spurs were not to be denied as goals from Nick Barmby and Jurgen Klinsmann restored a comfortable lead for Ossie Ardiles’ team, ensuring David Hirst’s late effort was nothing but a consolation. The side went on to win just three of their next 10 games however, and Ardiles was eventually replaced by Gerry Francis.
04. Blackburn Rovers 0-2 Tottenham Hotspur
With both teams finishing on 63 points this previous season, this 1996/97 curtain-raiser was always predicted to be close. Rovers, of course, won the Premier League title just 20 months previous, and so a victory for the visitors – let alone in such a convincing manner – was widely unexpected. That is exactly what happened though, with a goal in each half from Chris Armstrong sealing a win that set the tone in a disappointing season for Rovers – who of course never again met the heights of their one-time league success. Things didn’t develop so rosily for Francis’ Spurs side either, as they won just one of their next seven games before succumbing to an eventual tenth-placed finish.
03. Newcastle United 0-1 Tottenham Hotspur
With this being The Magpies first ever game in the Premier League following promotion from the First Division, admittedly the London side would’ve been expected to win this 1993/1994 opener. The impressiveness of the victory – earnt by Teddy Sheringham’s first-half strike – is magnified by the fact that Kevin Keegan’s Newcastle side went on to secure a third place league finish in their inaugural top-flight season. The North London side suffered a contrasting fate come May, however, finishing just three points above the relegation zone in what turned out to be a bitterley disappointing season for the club after such a promising start.
02. West Ham United 0-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Again – the margin of victory in this 2014/15 meeting may not be the club’s most impressive opening day feat, but the manner in which the victory came makes it a special win – not least because of who it came against. In a typically fiery meeting between the sides, both sides were reduced to ten men after the dismissals of Kyle Naughton and James Collins – all in the midst of a missed penalty by West Ham’s Mark Noble. Despite being at a numerical disadvantage for much of the game, Spurs held on and stole the win in Mauricio Pochettino’s first game in charge thanks to a injury-time Eric Dier winner.
01. Tottenham 2-1 Liverpool
After finishing within four points of champions Manchester United the previous season, Rafa Benitez’s Liverpool side were expected to begin their 2009/10 season with a win at White Hart Lane that would kick-start another title-chasing season. Harry Redknapp’s side had other ideas however, as goals from the unlikely figures of Benoit Assou-Ekotto and debutant Sebastian Bassong cancelled out Steven Gerrard’s penalty. The victory was huge in spurring a four-game winning run to start the season as Spurs went on to claim a top four finish, and Champions League football for the first time in 49 years. The club are yet to return to Europe’s primary competition since, which makes this result even more prestigious and a rightful recipient of the number one spot.
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