Brentford delivered a statement performance on the opening weekend of the Premier League season, thrashing Tottenham Hotspur 3-0 at the Gtech Community Stadium in a result that will alarm the club's new manager Roberto De Zerbi.
The west London side, managed by Keith Andrews after a promising campaign that saw them narrowly miss out on European qualification, took the lead after just 12 minutes through Dango Ouattara's cross being converted by Lewis-Potter. Brentford doubled their advantage in the 33rd minute when Vitaly Janelt pounced on a rebound from close range after Kinsky could only parry Jensen's driving effort, following a loose ball won off Richarlison deep in his own half.
Spurs, who arrived with high expectations after a busy summer transfer window headlined by the £100 million signing of Sandro Tonali, looked disjointed throughout, fielding five debutants in what proved a chastening opening statement to the season. The visitors were also without key figures including injured captain Micky van de Ven and Pedro Porro, with youngster Gray making history as Tottenham's youngest-ever captain before being substituted late on.
The game swung further away from Spurs early in the second half. Just three minutes after the restart, Nathan Collins headed down a corner for debutant Mamadou Sangare, whose goalward effort was parried by Kinsky. Michael Kayode reacted quickest to smash the loose ball home from close range, making it 3-0 in the 48th minute.
Spurs had earlier been handed a lifeline when referee awarded a penalty after Rodrigo Bentancur clumsily fouled Kevin Schade inside the box. However, Igor Thiago's spot-kick, despite sending the goalkeeper the wrong way, cannoned back off the post, sparing Brentford further worry and summing up a miserable afternoon for the visitors.
Sangare, making his top-flight debut following his move to Brentford, was a standout performer throughout, registering two assists and receiving a standing ovation from the home crowd when substituted in the 76th minute. Pundit Alan Smith named the newcomer his player of the match, a verdict that drew little argument given his influence on proceedings.
De Zerbi made a double substitution at the break, introducing Fernandes and Bentancur for Bergvall and Gallagher, while later bringing on Maddison and Solanke for Moore and Richarlison in search of a response. Despite flashes of improvement, including Bergvall and Tonali both testing Brentford's defense from distance, Spurs could not find a way past Kepa Kelleher, who produced a smart save to deny Moore when clean through in the second half.
Brentford made their own changes as the game wore on, with Yarmoliuk and Anthony replacing Jensen and Ouattara, while Damsgaard and Hickey were introduced late to help see out the victory. The result marks Brentford's first home win over Tottenham since the days of Bill Nicholson, adding historical significance to what was already a statement victory.
The defeat leaves De Zerbi with plenty to address as he begins his first full season in charge of Tottenham, with questions already emerging about squad cohesion despite the club's significant summer investment. Brentford, meanwhile, will take enormous confidence from a performance that suggests they can build on last season's near-miss in the race for European qualification.
Based on reporting from The Guardian and The Standard.