In England, Brazilian footballer Richarlison notches a brace in his debut for Tottenham Hotspur, securing a victory for the team in their first match following his transfer from Everton.
Tottenham Secures First Win Under New Coach, Beats Burnley 3-0
After a challenging start to the 2025/2026 English Championship Premier League season, Tottenham Hotspur finally tasted victory with a convincing 3-0 win over Burnley on Saturday.
The game was marked by a standout performance from Richarlison, who scored a spectacular scissor kick goal, adding to his significant contribution to Tottenham's attacking efforts this season. The victory was also the first under new coach Thomas Frank.
Tottenham's recent performance has been underwhelming, with a 17th place finish in the league, reflecting mid-table level play and a failure to convert performances into points, particularly in closely contested matches[1]. However, the team has shown glimpses of strength, notably in their away win at Manchester City and the home victory over Burnley[3].
The victory over Burnley was a welcome boost for Tottenham, who had lost on penalties to Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Super Cup on August 13[2]. The squad has seen notable departures such as Son Heung-Min and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, which may have influenced their inconsistent form[1].
As the season progresses, expectations are that Tottenham may improve "towards the mean," suggesting some recovery in results, but it is uncertain whether this will translate into a top-five challenge or a more modest league position[1].
Meanwhile, the game between Tottenham and Burnley was marred by racist slurs from a Liverpool fan against Ghanaian striker Antoine Semenyo of Bournemouth. The referee had to stop the game for a few minutes due to the incident[5].
Elsewhere in the league, Manchester City will visit Wolverhampton in the last game of the day. Leeds United closes the round by hosting Everton on Sunday, while one of the highlight matches is between Manchester United and Arsenal at Old Trafford. Aston Villa and Newcastle ended their game in a 0-0 draw, and another game is the London derby between Chelsea, the world champions in July, and Crystal Palace, who won the English Super Cup last weekend. Fulham drew 1-1 with Brighton in a simultaneous game. The English Championship continues on Sunday with three games[6].
References:
[1] BBC Sport. (2025). Tottenham Hotspur: The statistics behind their poor start. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/61238346
[2] Sky Sports. (2025). Tottenham lose on penalties to Paris Saint-Germain in UEFA Super Cup. Retrieved from https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11689/12287929/tottenham-lose-on-penalties-to-paris-saint-germain-in-uefa-super-cup
[3] The Guardian. (2025). Richarlison scores stunning scissor kick as Tottenham beat Burnley. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/aug/20/richarlison-scores-stunning-scissor-kick-as-tottenham-beat-burnley
[4] BBC Sport. (2025). Richarlison scores stunning scissor kick in Tottenham's win over Burnley. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/61239195
[5] The Independent. (2025). Liverpool fan arrested for racially abusing Antoine Semenyo during Bournemouth game. Retrieved from https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/liverpool-fan-arrested-racially-abusing-antoine-semenyo-bournemouth-b9241526.html
[6] Sky Sports. (2025). Premier League fixtures: All you need to know. Retrieved from https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11689/12285051/premier-league-fixtures-all-you-need-to-know
The victory over Burnley, a close match in the English Premier League, marked a significant milestone for Tottenham Hotspur, under new coach Thomas Frank, as they had been struggling in the league earlier in the season. Richarlison's spectacular scissor kick goal was a standout moment in this European-leagues contest, revealing Tottenham's potential in football matches.
