5 biggest fixtures for Tottenham Hotspur in the 2022-23 Premier League
The promising run of Tottenham Hotspur came to the halt right after finishing as the runners-up of the 2018-19 UEFA Champions League campaign and failed to seal the qualification in two back-to-back seasons following that edition.
The Lilywhites are finally back in the UCL set-up with a 4th-placed finish in the previous season and are determined to reach back to the prime again. They will be kick-starting their 2022-23 Premier League campaign against Southampton in a home fixture on August 6, 2022.
Former Porto and Wolves gaffer Nuno Espirito Santo was designated as in charge at the start of the 2021-22 season but the series of events led the club to fire the Portuguese within four months of appointment. Spurs have gone through a serious managerial crisis in recent times as we have seen four managers sitting in the coach’s corner of the London Whites in the past two seasons.
Then Antonio Conte was brought to Tottenham and the Italian general staged the turnaround of the club in no time. The 52-year-old earned a worldwide reputation through his Chelsea and Inter Milan stint and has a responsibility to replicate the same with Tottenham. The Lilywhites won a nail-biting race by defeating Arsenal in the crucial stage of the previous season to claim the final ticket to UEFA Champions League. The thrilling finish ensured the finalists of the 2018-19 season will be making a comeback to the grandest stage of European club football.
#5 Tottenham Hotspur vs Southampton – 6th August
Spurs will be facing the challenge of Saints while heading into the opening fixture of the 2022-23 season. Southampton finished the previous season 11 positions behind the Spurs but their recent head-to-head encounters state that it is surely not going to be easy for the Lilywhites. The last time Tottenham hosted the Red and Whites for a Premier League fixture, the visitors headed back to Southampton with three points in hand.
It was a five-goal thriller where the Saints were trailing by 1-2 when the last 20 minutes were remaining on the clock and then the two late goals from Mohamed Elyounoussi (80′) and Che Adams (82′) snatched the game from the hosts.
Earlier, the first fixture of the season between these two combatants concluded on a 1-1 settlement at the St Mary’s Stadium as Southampton forced the counterparts to share the points despite going down to 10 men from the 39th minute onwards. It is going to be a tough opening fixture for Tottenham as the Saints who haven’t finished inside the Top 10 for the last five seasons are determined to turn it around this time.
#4 Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur – 19th October
Cristiano Ronaldo has scored four goals from the last two meetings with Tottenham Hotspur
Conte has always given tough times to United whenever he takes on the Red Devils on the battlefield. In his final month at Chelsea, Conte guided the Blues to the FA Cup triumph defeating Manchester United on a 1-0 scoreline in the final. Since their famous 6-1 victory over the Red Devils, Tottenham couldn’t play up to their potential and lost three consecutive Premier League fixtures against the same opponent.
The 2021-22 Premier League season was the first time since 2011-12 that the Old Trafford-based club completed a double against the Spurs as it also shows that the London Whites have kept the competition high in recent times. In their previous face-off, Cristiano Ronaldo who also scored a goal in the earlier fixture went on to bag a hat-trick in the English top-flight football after 12 years.
It is quite hard to predict how the new gaffer Erik ten Hag’s reign at the Old Trafford will unfold hence their encounter on 20th October will surely be a treat to watch out for.
#3 Tottenham Hotspur vs Manchester City – 4th February
In recent years, the club which has given the most trouble to Manchester City in the Premier League is Tottenham Hotspur. In the 2021 League Cup Final, City edged past the London-based club to lift the silverware while the Lilywhites avenged their defeat by completing a double over the Citizens. The Spurs remained the only club against whom the eventual champions couldn’t even score a single point in the EPL 2021-22 campaign as two out of their three losses of the season came against the same opponent.
Both of them faced each other in the opening fixture of the previous season where the Sky Blues initiated their campaign after suffering a sore defeat at the hands of Tottenham but still went on to win the league eventually.
On the other hand, Spurs couldn’t sustain such a great start further and completely lost their momentum midway although still went on to register another victory over Man City after a last-minute winning goal from the captain Harry Kane at Etihad Stadium.
#2 Chelsea vs Tottenham Hotspur – 13th August
The return of the Godfather!
Before joining the Tottenham Hotspur side, Conte already had the experience of managing a London-based club as his tenure with Chelsea was short but successful. He moved back to Italy after winning the Premier League and FA Cup with the Blues in a three-year stint at Stamford Bridge. The stage is set for his comeback at Stamford Bridge but this time he will be posing as the opponent general and will leave no stone unturned to give it back to the Blues.
The Spurs lost both of their 2021-22 Premier League fixtures against Chelsea and couldn’t even score a single goal against the defensive wall of Pensioners. They will be facing Chelsea on the second matchday of the season which will take place on 13th August where both combatants will be determined to not lose crucial points in the early stages. Tottenham will be travelling to Stamford Bridge to seek revenge.
#1 Arsenal vs Tottenham Hotspur – 1st October
The two London counterparts always come with all guns blazing against each other as the rivalry has reached new heights in recent times. With the kind of climax this rivalry had in the previous season, it is highly expected that the scenes will be heating up once again in the North London Derby. Tottenham may have had the last laugh in the last season but they must have been prepared for the counter-attack from the arch-rivals.
The head-to-head count of these two combatants in the 2021-22 Premier League season remained even at 1-1 as both of them won their respective home fixtures and lost the away ones. The Tottenham leg was the memorable one as the UCL qualification was on the line and only one of them could make it there and then the attacking duo of Harry Kane (22′ & 37′) and Heung-Min Son (47′) took the matter in their hands and made it through.
Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium will be the venue of an intense first North London Derby on 1st October while the Tottenham leg will take place on January 14, 2023.