Thomas Frank toasts perfect start to Premier League life at Tottenham
Former Brentford head coach Frank had warned newly-promoted Burnley would pose a stern test and yet a double by Richarlison secured a first league win since April 6.
Richarlison 🤝 Overhead Kicks pic.twitter.com/1N68jrFR3t
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) August 16, 2025
Richarlison steered home the opener after 10 minutes before his second goal on the hour mark was a superb volley from a Mohammed Kudus cross and Brennan Johnson added another – six minutes later – on a tough top-flight return for Burnley boss Scott Parker at his old club.
'Perfect start or dream start,' Frank reflected. 'We all know we need to follow up on it. Today I will just enjoy it and I hope the players, the club and the fans enjoy it because that is important.
'I think overall it was a good performance, not through the roof. A good performance against a difficult opponent.
'It's never easy in the Premier League – we know that – and after the very short turnaround against PSG.
'Big positive; our medical department and performance department did a top job to make sure the players were ready to go. I think we had eight starters again so that I am happy with.'
Richarlison impressed in a 2-2 draw with PSG before Spurs lost on penalties and retained his place with £65million forward Dominic Solanke only recently fit again after an ankle issue.
After a largely injury-affected three years at Tottenham, Brazil international Richarlison may have left this summer if a suitable offer was tabled but remains part of the squad and Frank is excited to get more consistency out of the 28-year-old.
He added: 'Fantastic he is scoring. The first one is definitely easier to score without being easy, but I have a striker that takes those two chances and helps us win the game.
'He deserves a lot of praise. He was very good against PSG and today he was exceptional, with his work-rate, driving the team, link-up play, hold-up play, just dominating and then the two finishes.
'So happy on his behalf and again, performance department, medical department did a top job to build him.
'Second goal 17 passes in the team I have been told, every player touched the ball and finished with two top actions.
'First from Mohammed Kudus and then second, an exceptional finish by Richarlison. I'm a little disappointed that so early we have goal of the season – but must be a contender.'
Spurs boss Frank revealed Yves Bissouma, who was dropped for the Super Cup for repeatedly being late for training, missed this fixture due to injury.
Mo Kudus on a strong home debut in N17 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/jWOgCePEC4
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) August 16, 2025
Burnley had created a number of first-half chances, but were punished for a lack of clinical edge in both boxes.
'It's really fine margins of the Premier League and that's probably the main thing to come out of it today,' Parker admitted.
'The clinicalness of the Premier League, they produce an outstanding, world-class finish to see the game away from us, but I saw some real positives.
'We're disappointed because we came here to try to get a result, but overall there were some really pleasing things.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
North Wales Chronicle
29 minutes ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Pep Guardiola says Manchester City's squad size has to reduce after Wolves win
Erling Haaland struck twice and new signings Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Cherki also got on the scoresheet as City began their quest for a seventh title in nine seasons in emphatic fashion at Molineux on Saturday. Yet while goalkeeper James Trafford also made a confident debut and Rayan Ait-Nouri shone against the club he left in the summer, Guardiola's main concern is now offloading players. Guardiola said: '(It's) too much – too many people. I like a deep squad to compete in all competitions but I don't want to leave players at home. It's not healthy. You cannot create a good vibe or atmosphere to compete. 'Everyone has to feel they can play and help. The club has known it since last season, it's not news, but the situation is what it is. 'In the next two weeks, people will talk with players and agents to find a solution.' Goalkeeper Ederson's future has been the subject of speculation throughout the summer, and City have been linked with Paris St Germain's Gianluigi Donnarumma, but Guardiola this week insisted the Brazilian was still his 'number one'. His absence at Molineux was due to illness, with the 31-year-old suffering from gastroenteritis, and had nothing to do reports of interest from Galatasaray. Guardiola said of those rumours: 'I don't have any news. Yesterday I saw his illness and after I didn't speak to the club. 'If a player wants to leave he has to leave but on the conditions of the club. There's no sense if he's not happy here but, the final decision and the way to make the deal, belongs 100 per cent to the club, not to me. 'I don't know what will happen in the next two weeks.' Guardiola was satisfied with City's start to the season, although he felt there was plenty of room for improvement. He said: 'I'm pleased with the result and the first half. In the second we were away from where we want to be, but that's normal for the first game. 'We punished them on transitions because we have incredible pace and that's a weapon we want to use, to attack quicker than we did before.' Reijnders had a hand in both Haaland goals in a fine Premier League debut. Guardiola said: 'He was really good. He's a lovely guy and (made) impact from day one. We know he is a top signing for the coming years.' Wolves boss Vitor Pereira felt the scoreline was harsh on the hosts. He said: 'We had three or four chances to score goals but the difference is technically they are strong, individually they are strong, tactically they are strong and each mistake we committed, they punished us. 'If you hadn't watched the game it's like they created a lot of chances and deserved 10 goals and we didn't deserve anything, but it was not the case.'
Glasgow Times
29 minutes ago
- Glasgow Times
Chelsea transfer news: Xavi Simons understood to prefer Stamford Bridge move
Talks have been ongoing with RB Leipzig all summer over a move for the Netherlands international as the Blues look to wrap up what would be a ninth first-team signing. Whilst an agreement is yet to be reached between the clubs, PA understands that the 22-year-old, who has won 28 international caps and scored in his country's Euro 2024 semi-final defeat to England, is not moved by interest from the Bundesliga champions and has his heart set on a move to west London. Leipzig had been keen on bringing back Christopher Nkunku after a disappointing two years at Chelsea that have been badly hampered by injury, but it is understood the France international does not want to return to his former club, quashing any chance he could be used as a makeweight in a deal for Simons. Simons can play either as an attacking midfielder or on the wing and is a potentially more flexible attacking option than Nkunku, as Enzo Maresca seeks to complete the revamp of his forward line following the acquisitions of Jamie Gittens from Borussia Dortmund, Brazilian winger Estevao Willian and strikers Liam Delap and Joao Pedro. Joao Felix and Noni Madueke have already been moved on this summer, with Nkunku set to follow them after Maresca decided there was no place for the 27-year-old in his plans for the new season. Chelsea kick off their Premier League campaign at home to Crystal Palace on Sunday looking to build on a fourth-place finish last season.
Rhyl Journal
29 minutes ago
- Rhyl Journal
Match of the Day: Mark Chapman makes quip as show starts life after Gary Lineker
Chapman is one of three new presenters on the BBC's Saturday night highlights show, rotating with Kelly Cates and Gabby Logan, and was first up in the chair at the start of the new season. Introducing the show, Chapman said: 'The Premier League is back and Match of the Day is back. You may have seen and heard there's a big change to the show this season, and that is that Wayne Rooney has joined is us as a regular pundit. A new Premier League season and a new era for @BBCMOTD! Join Mark Chapman, Alan Shearer and Wayne Rooney for all the highlights and analysis from Saturday's Premier League matches. ▶ Watch on BBC One, BBC iPlayer from 22:20 BST#MOTD #BBCFootball — BBC Sport (@BBCSport) August 16, 2025 'Some things don't change though, and Alan (Shearer) is still here.' Former England captain Rooney, 39, has joined the show after leaving his most recent spell in management at Plymouth back in December. Chapman, 51, has previously hosted Match of the Day when Lineker was unavailable, and was the regular host of the Sunday show, Match of the Day 2. From this season, the Sunday highlights, as well as the new Champions League highlights show, will all be known as Match of the Day. On Wednesday, Cates hosted a programme to preview the new Premier League season alongside Rooney, Danny Murphy and Julien Laurens. Logan is due to host Match of the Day's Sunday night programme this week. Lineker's final show came at the end of last season on May 26 in a long-planned move. The 64-year-old had planned to front the BBC's live coverage of the FA Cup and 2026 World Cup, but brought forward his departure following a social media row in which he shared a post about Zionism featuring a depiction of a rat, historically used as an antisemitic trope. Lineker, the BBC's highest-paid presenter and host of Match of the Day since 1999, apologised unreservedly for the post but said it was 'best for all concerned' if he left completely.
