MY ACCOUNT
A Harry Kane brace gave Spurs a win on the road against an impressive Nottingham Forest side.
There was nothing impressive about Forest’s defending for the second goal, though, as Richarlison found Kane completely unmarked at the far post.
But the home side will be generally pleased with the way they have settled into Premier League life, despite the loss here.
Kane had taken just five minutes to open the scoring. Dejan Kulusevski drove forward through midfield, sliding a pass to the England striker who scuffed a shot into the far corner.
It looked like a mis-hit on first watch, but the disguise and the placement on the shot left Forest goalkeeper Dean Henderson statuesque as he stood and watched the ball bobble by him.
The early goal did not reflect the early play. Newly promoted Forest looked very much the part against their Champions League-level opponents.
Kane had another chance from the penalty spot, but Henderson got the better of his compatriot this time with a fine save.
Forest threatened throughout but couldn’t quite finish their chances.
“It was really intense,” Spurs boss Antonio conte told the BBC.
“There was a lot of noise around the pitch, for sure I understand for the players, the opposition, to play here is not easy, with the crowd against you.
“We suffered in the right way. In the end we did well. You have to be ready to be compact and to suffer. Forest are a good team, it’s not easy to come here and get three points.”
Did you know?
Since the start of March, Tottenham have picked up more points in the Premier League than any other team (39), winning 12 of their 17 games in this time (D3 L2).
Nottingham Forest suffered their first home league defeat of 2022 (excl. play-offs), with this defeat also ending their eight-game winning run in the league at the City Ground. This leaves Liverpool as the only remaining unbeaten ever-present side at home in the top four tiers of English football in 2022.
Tottenham have 10 points from their opening four league matches this season (W3 D1 L0), their best start to a campaign since 2009-10 (12 points), which is the only time they have earned more points from their first four matches of a Premier League season.
Tottenham’s Harry Kane has now scored against 31 of the 32 clubs he has appeared against in the Premier League (97%), failing only against Brentford. He also moved level with Andy Cole on 187 Premier League goals, behind only Alan Shearer (260) and Wayne Rooney (208) in the competition’s all-time top scorers list.
Kane scored the 200th (and 201st) league goals of his senior club career, with 187 of these coming for Tottenham in the Premier League (7 for Millwall in Championship, 5 for Leyton Orient in League One, 2 for Leicester in Championship).
Since his Premier League debut in February, Tottenham’s Dejan Kulusevski has more assists in the competition than any other player (10).
Nottingham Forest’s Dean Henderson has only conceded one of the five penalties he has faced in the Premier League (20%), the lowest percentage of any goalkeeper to face at least five spot-kicks in the competition (three saved, one post).
Kane’s penalty miss ended his run of 15 consecutive spot-kicks scored in the Premier League for Tottenham, with today’s his first to be missed since February 2018 against Liverpool (saved by Loris Karius).
Nottingham Forest’s starting XI for this game was made up of players who were all British, the first entirely British and Northern Irish starting XI for a Premier League game since Blackpool’s against Man Utd in May 2011.
