Tottenham launched the Thomas Frank era in the Premier League with assurance and sparkle, beating newly-promoted Burnley 3–0 in north London. Richarlison seized the spotlight with two finishes of different flavours — a sharp 10th-minute volley and a breathtaking second-half scissor kick — before Brennan Johnson iced the afternoon with a clinical third. On his Spurs league debut, £55m signing Mohammed Kudus was irrepressible on the right, creating both of Richarlison’s goals and stretching Burnley repeatedly.

For Scott Parker’s side, there were passages to respect: a disciplined mid-block, moments of incision through Lyle Foster and Jaidon Anthony, and enough first-half pressure to keep Spurs honest. But once Tottenham turned turnovers into quick, vertical attacks after the interval, the gap in Premier League speed told. Martin Dubravka’s saves kept the score respectable; a penalty shout just before the break went unawarded, and once the second Tottenham goal arrived, the contest tilted decisively.

A fast start sets the tone, then Burnley steady and threaten in moments

Spurs flew out of the blocks. Inside 30 seconds Lucas Bergvall forced Dubravka into a smart save, a hint of the front-foot brief Thomas Frank had set. The opening goal arrived on 10 minutes and showcased the new right-side chemistry: Kudus burned his full-back, stood up a wicked cross and Richarlison met it first time, guiding a controlled volley beyond the Burnley keeper.

To their credit, Burnley didn’t fold. They tightened the distances between the lines, found Foster early and pushed Tottenham’s new captain Cristian Romero into awkward territory; the centre-back was fortunate to avoid a booking when stopping a Foster burst near the edge of the box. Hannibal Mejbri curled the ensuing free-kick over, Josh Laurent’s deflected effort forced Guglielmo Vicario into an unconvincing tip, and Anthony arrived to flash a header straight at the Spurs keeper.

Kudus–Richarlison becomes a theme — the scissor kick that broke Burnley’s grip

If the first goal was about timing, the second was about audacity. Early in the second half Kudus again skated to the byline, hanging up a teasing delivery. Richarlison adjusted in mid-air and thrashed an acrobatic scissor kick past Dubravka — the kind of goal replayed again and again on the big screens as the stadium bounced.

Between those bookends, Spurs kept threatening: Richarlison nearly doubled up earlier when his shot nicked Maxime Estève’s shoulder and ricocheted wide off Dubravka’s boot. For all Burnley’s organisation, they struggled to live with Kudus’s pace and trickery on the outside and Richarlison’s movement between the posts.

Transitions tilt the pitch — Sarr threads the needle and Johnson finishes the job

The third goal distilled Spurs’ second-half plan. Richarlison dropped in around halfway to roll Estève, Pape Matar Sarr surged through the space created and slid a perfectly weighted pass into Johnson’s path. The Welshman didn’t break stride, opening his body to lift a composed finish over the advancing Dubravka for 3–0.

From there it was game management. Frank freshened the front line, giving Richarlison a standing ovation on 71 minutes as Dominic Solanke entered and almost added a fourth with a low effort that skidded inches wide. Spurs’ rest defence — creaky in midweek as they let a 2–0 lead slip late to PSG in the Super Cup before losing on penalties — looked more secure with Romero marshalling and Sarr screening.

Burnley’s blueprint holds for a spell, but the margins are thinner up here

Coming up with 100 points and 30 clean sheets in the Championship, Burnley arrived with their identity intact. Even after losing James Trafford, Dubravka brought calm hands, and Kyle Walker’s experience offered shape across the back line. Parker’s plan largely worked at 1–0: contest second balls, funnel Spurs wide, then break when Foster could draw contact and bring runners with him.

But in the Premier League, a non-penalty just before half-time can feel like a hinge, and the second goal — something Burnley avoided in all 46 league matches last season — effectively ended the contest. Still, Foster’s persistence, Anthony’s aggression at the back post and Mejbri’s willingness to receive between the lines offered positives.

Frank’s first league steps — selection gambles, crowd energy and a repeatable attack

Frank leaned into youth and energy, starting teenage pair Archie Gray and Bergvall in central midfield. Around them he built pace: Johnson left, Kudus right, Richarlison through the middle. The crowd, still basking in a first major trophy in 17 years, supplied the current; the team matched it with tempo and aggression.

Crucially, the attack looked repeatable rather than improvised. Kudus created separation with ease, deliveries from wide found a penalty-box target, and Richarlison’s movement was backed by confident finishing — a promising blend with James Maddison sidelined and Dejan Kulusevski still building back.

What it means — and what’s next

For Tottenham, it’s a validating first league step under Frank after the midweek sting in Udine: patterns, personalities and product all in evidence. Tests ramp up quickly with a trip to Manchester City on Saturday 23 August (12:30 BST), then Bournemouth back in N17.

For Burnley, the 3–0 reads heavy but the performance needn’t rattle belief. The shape worked for stretches, the step-up speed is now felt rather than theorised, and clearer decisions in transition can turn sturdy passages into points. Sunderland at Turf Moor next, then Derby County in the Carabao Cup, offer immediate chances to respond.