Spurs have found their attacking groove again, sweeping aside Bournemouth last time out. But Burnley will aim to make life difficult at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The free-scoring partnership between James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski has sparked Tottenham's revival. Their creativity and clinical finishing could cause Burnley problems. 

But Burnley are desperate for points after two straight defeats. Vincent Kompany's side have competed in spells without getting results. 

Burnley's tough start makes points a must at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Tottenham vs Burnley

The match will take place on Saturday, 2nd September, 2023, at Turf Moor, in Burnley, Lancashire, England.

Spurs Show Teeth to Devour Helpless Cherries

A vintage Spurs attacking performance sliced through Bournemouth's fragile rearguard as the Lilywhites cruised to a 2-0 win on the south coast. 

After a frantic opening, Spurs took the lead through Maddison's first goal for the club. The midfielder ghosted into space before caressing a deft finish that was more delicate than a cucumber sandwich at the queen's garden party.

Maddison celebrated with his trademark imaginary archery routine as if he'd just struck gold at the darts world championship. His technical brilliance unlocked the Cherries defense and gave Spurs a platform to dictate.

Bournemouth huffed and puffed in response, but offered little to trouble Tottenham keeper Hugo Lloris. Spurs' experienced backline marked tighter than a school teacher watching over exam students.

Going forward, the visitors moved the ball with pace and precision to carve out chances. Son Heung-min was denied by a reflex stop before Maddison almost grabbed a second with a curling effort.

Spurs were purring at times with silky interplay and imaginative movement in attack. Bournemouth stood off time and again, inviting pressure onto themselves as the white wave kept coming.

Bournemouth's brief second half rally proved futile as Spurs' superior quality shone through. The hapless Cherries were left chasing shadows against opponents who moved the ball on a string.

For Tottenham, this was a swaggering away display from a side oozing with attacking menace once again. The Maddison and Kulusevski double act promises to unlock many a defense this season.

Even with last season's golden boot winner Kane still working his way back to peak form, Spurs showed they can demolish teams without their talisman firing on all cylinders.

Once Postecoglou clicks all his new signings into gear, this Tottenham side could be an absolute riot. On this evidence, Spurs are primed to push the Premier League's elite this campaign.

The Cherries were simply outclassed, but far sterner tests await Spurs. Nevertheless, this ruthless showing was a serious statement of intent from a side looking hungry to dine at Europe's top table again.

Clarets Flicker Before Fizzling Out Against Rampant Villa

Burnley showed flickers of promise before being extinguished by a red hot Aston Villa side who ran out 3-1 winners at Turf Moor. The Clarets competed in patches but were ultimately outgunned by Unai Emery's ruthless Villa.

Burnley boss Vincent Kompany watched on as his side suffered an early blow, going behind after just eight minutes. Villa sliced through Burnley's backline before Matty Cash tapped home to give the away side lift off.

The Clarets tried to hit back but their build up play was slower than a pensioner with a zimmer frame. Lacking sharpness and precision, Burnley couldn't find a way through Villa's well-drilled defense.

Shellshocked Burnley were left chasing shadows as Villa's vibrant midfield trio of McGinn, Kamara, and Luiz ran riot. They passed rings around Burnley's cumbersome engine room for fun in the first half.

Kompany rallied his troops at the break and Burnley came out breathing fire like an angry dragon. New boy Lyle Foster spun his man before lashing home within 30 seconds of the restart to spark hopes of a comeback.

Suddenly Turf Moor was rocking with belief as the Clarets laid siege to Villa's goal. But just as momentum was building, Villa sucker punched the hosts yet again.

Diaby kept his cool to fire home a precise finish on the break, flooring Burnley like a knockout hook from Mike Tyson. The wind was sucked right out of Turf Moor's sails after that crushing 61st minute goal.

Despite huffing and puffing, Burnley couldn't muster a response as Villa's quality shone through. Emery's side were purring at times, passing the ball around like globetrotting showoffs.

Kompany will know his side must learn quickly how easily errors are punished in the Premier League. The visitors turned Burnley around like sock puppets with their swift counterattacks.

But there were positives for the Clarets in spells as they caused Villa problems. Foster looked like a real livewire up front, while the Turf Moor crowd provided a red hot atmosphere when the game was in the balance.

Ultimately though, Villa had too much guile and ruthlessness in the final third. The likes of Watkins, McGinn, and Diaby gave a masterclass in slick, incisive attacking play.

For now, Burnley must go back to the drawing board after this lesson in the step up in quality. But more spirited home displays like this will give the Clarets hope they can upset a few apple carts this season.

Predicted Lineups

Tottenham Predicted Lineup: Guglielmo Vicario, Destiny Udogie, Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero, Pedro Porro, Yves Bissouma, Pape Sarr, Son Heung-Min, James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Richarlison

Burnley Predicted Lineup: James Trafford, Charlie Taylor, Hjalmar Ekdal, Jordan Beyer, Ameen Al-Dakhil, Connor Roberts, Sander Berge, Jack Cork, Sander Berge, Jóhann Berg Gudmundsson, Zeki Amdouni

Key Battles

• Jack Cork vs Rodrigo Bentancur

The midfield battle between Burnley captain Jack Cork and Spurs playmaker Rodrigo Bentancur - controlling possession and tempo.