Tottenham goal scorers João Palhinha and Brennan Johnson expressed their gratitude to new manager Thomas Frank for instilling belief and discipline in the team.
Tottenham Hotspur continued their remarkable start to the season with a statement 2-0 win over Manchester City.
Frank, who took charge this summer after leaving Brentford, has made a seamless transition in north London. Spurs have now won their opening two league fixtures without conceding, having also beaten Burnley 3-0 on the opening weekend. Saturday’s result not only secured three points but also underlined Tottenham’s growing confidence under their new boss.
Tottenham struck twice before halftime to stun the champions. Johnson opened the scoring by finishing off Richarlison’s low cross into the box, before Palhinha doubled the advantage when he reacted quickly to a mistake from goalkeeper James Trafford. The two-goal cushion was reminiscent of their recent UEFA Super Cup clash against Paris Saint-Germain, where Spurs let a 2-0 lead slip before losing on penalties. This time, however, there was no repeat as Tottenham maintained control and City struggled to break down a resilient backline.
Johnson, who netted the winner in last season’s Europa League final, has started this campaign brightly with goals in both Premier League matches so far. Speaking after the game, he highlighted the impact of Frank’s methods and explained the differences from former manager Ange Postecoglou.
“Nothing massively, [it’s] two different coaches,” Johnson said. “[I am] really enjoying it and a lot of detail goes into the set-pieces, but at the same time he gives us a lot of attacking freedom. [In] the first few games we have kept two clean sheets and against Man City it is not easy. I have played here a lot of times and conceded a lot of goals.”
Frank’s tactical balance between structure and attacking liberty has impressed the squad and given them belief in their ability to compete at the top. While Tottenham missed out on signing Eberechi Eze, who moved to Arsenal during the transfer window, they did secure Mohamed Kudus and Palhinha, both of whom have already made telling contributions.
Palhinha, who arrived on loan from Bayern Munich, emphasized that the Danish coach was instrumental in his decision to return to the Premier League.
“First of all, the coach who pushed me to come here and showed me the project he has here at Tottenham,” the Portuguese midfielder explained. “It is such a great club, and I am really glad to be in the Premier League again. I am so happy, me and my family — now I want to enjoy this top club and top atmosphere again.”
The result lifted Spurs to the top of the Premier League table heading into the international break. They next host Bournemouth in their final fixture before the pause, while the club will also learn their Champions League group stage opponents later this week.
For now, Tottenham’s players are relishing a flying start under Frank, whose arrival has already given the team fresh energy and optimism.
Pic Credit (Screen grab: YouTube Tottenham Hotspur)
