Curiosity and expectations are growing daily around Tottenham after last year’s sensational comeback that will allow Spurs to play in the Champions League again. The main merits, undoubtedly, go to Antonio Conte: the coach from Salento took over the team during the current season amidst a thousand perplexities and with the Londoners mired in mid-table, but in just a few months – also thanks to the right signings in the winter market, Kulusevski above all – he has been able to put order back into the team and get it off the ground, which seemed destined for an anonymous championship.
Kane and his team-mates quickly acquired a new mentality and rose up the table match after match, until they won the head-to-head with Arsenal’s cousins in the very last few days and took fourth place. The ownership, meanwhile, is doing everything possible to satisfy Conte’s ambitions and the market led by former Juventus sporting director Fabio Paratici has been one of the most important – and interesting – in the Premier League. Kane and Son have stayed, but in attack the former Juve and Inter coach will have even more solutions thanks to the arrival from Everton of Brazilian Richarlison. The other new faces are Perisic, Bissouma, Lenglet, Spence and Forster but more strikes are expected by the end of the month.
Conte and his side make their league debut against Southampton, who are coming off their second consecutive 15th place finish. Ralph Hasenhuttl is still on the Saints’ bench, but the team does not seem to have strengthened enough to dream of a more ambitious championship. Another quiet salvation, all things considered, seems within their reach. Southampton only won once in the pre-season (3-1 against Monaco), while Tottenham recently suffered their first defeat against former Mourinho’s Roma.
How to watch Tottenham v Southampton live TV and streaming
Ralph Hasenhuttl ©️Ansafoto
Tottenham v Southampton is scheduled for 4pm on Saturday. It can be seen live on Sky exclusively on Sky Sport Football (channel 203). It will also be available live streaming via Sky Go, the mobile service available to subscribers, and on NOW, Sky’s live and on-demand platform.
The Prediction
We expect a strong start from Conte’s team, who have emerged significantly strengthened from the current summer market. Tottenham’s victory does not seem to be in question, in a match in which the guests could also score.
The Tottenham-Southampton matchday squad
TOTTENHAM (3-4-3): Lloris; Romero, Dier, Davies; Doherty, Hojbjerg, Bentancur, Sessegnon; Kulusevski, Kane, Son.
SOUTHAMPTON (4-4-1-1): Bazunu; Walker-Peters, Salisu, Bednarek, Perraud; S. Armstrong, Ward-Prowse, Romeu, Elyounoussi; Aribo; Adams.
