Spirits are high in London as things couldn’t be more different from this time last year. Gone for now are the managerial worries that surrounded the team heading into last season as Antonio Conte is at the helm and everyone has fallen in line to help bring his vision to life. There’s always a slight concern that Conte will bolt if things don’t go well, but at this point it’s up to the players on the pitch. Conte has been backed in a big way with Spurs making six additions so far. Richarlison may be suspended for the match but Ivan Perisic could make his debut on the day as Conte looks to balance Premier League and Champions Leaugue play by having a deeper squad at his disposal.
With so much new, it would seem like a good time for Southampton to make a trip to take on Spurs but with Conte having the same lineup available that ended last season, he can take his time to bed in the new signings if he’d like to. For Ralph Hasenhüttl this should come as a concern as Southampton has experienced massive turnover this summer.
The team has been getting back to their roots of youth development but now they’re adopting something closer to the system that Hasenhüttl was used to with Red Bull by purchasing the best available youth from elsewhere instead of relying solely on academy production. Southampton have made five signings and only Joe Airbo is older than 20 years of age. This could be good for the future but in a battle of youth versus experience, an early goal from Spurs could see the match get out of hand.
Here’s our storylines, how you can watch the match and more:
How to watch and odds
- Date: Saturday, Aug. 6Â |Â Time: 10 a.m. ET
- Location: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium — London, England
- TV/Live stream: Peacock
- Odds: Spurs -280; Draw +400; Southampton +750 (via Caesars Sportsbook)
Storylines
Spurs:Â Richarlison will miss the match due to suspension so the Tottenham faithful will need to wait at least one more match for his full debut. Oliver Skipp has been ruled out due to complications related to a fractured foot. New signing Yves Bissouma will also be a late fitness test due to a thigh injury which could see Conte roll with the midfield of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Rodrigo Bentancur that helped secure Champions League qualification last season. Matt Doherty and Perisic also may not be risked from the start which would see Ryan Sessegnon and Emerson Royal deputize as the wing backs.
Southampton: Hasenhüttl has most of the team available with Valentino Livramento as the only long term absentee. Theo Walcott is also ruled out along with Nathan Tella but everyone else is available. It’s tough to attempt to predict Southampton’s lineup as outside of James Ward-Prowse, Mohamed Salisu, and Kyle Walker-Peters, anyone could start or sit and it wouldn’t be particularly surprising. Hasenhüttl will hope that makes it hard for Conte to prepare for the match.
Prediction
Spurs have far too much quality to succumb to Southampton on the opening day of the season. They’ll certainly need to do a professional job but there’s no one on the Saints who can contain Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son. Pick: Spurs 3, Southampton 1.
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