Another happy day for Ange Postecoglou, though his team reached the Premier League summit the hard way. When Yves Bissouma was dismissed for a second bookable offence on the stroke of half-time for a clear dive over Mads Andersen, an action that would fail to confuse even the most befuddled Stockley Park VAR official, there was adversity for the new Tottenham to face down.
“A lot of character, a lot of resilience,” was what the Australian put victory down as a best start to the season since 1960 continues. “You get the red card and it’s a different type of game. We handled it really well, stayed calm and composed.”
The inspiration of James Maddison in setting up Micky van de Ven’s goal from a short corner was enough for victory over a Luton team who chased hard, only for their lack of cutting edge to betray them. The three points Tottenham escaped with might have come far easier. They had begun with purpose if not precision, Richarlison guilty of misreading a Dejan Kulusevski cross to start a series of spurned opportunities.
Rob Edwards’ slim hopes of his team’s survival rely on making the most of chances and, equally, not presenting opponents with chances. “I feel like we have left points out there today,” the manager said.
There were early home groans when their striker Carlton Morris, having found space, could not find Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu with his layoff. It was to set a template but Luton played their way back in. A couple of Chiedozie Ogbene’s bursts past Pedro Porro further raised hopes among the home faithful. As the first half drew on, their team was growing into the contest. A previous Tottenham stroll was becoming rather more uncomfortable.
There were still chances on offer, with Kulusevski forcing a good save from Thomas Kaminski. Maddison was meanwhile coming in for heavy treatment from Luton players and fans alike but revelled in the dual role of pariah and Tottenham main man.
Bissouma’s fifth booking of the season for a clear foul on Ogbene, his first, would eventually prove fateful. Officialdom was on Spurs’ side when Tom Lockyer bundled home following a goalmouth scramble. VAR ruled – correctly – that Elijah Adebayo had clattered into Cristian Romero during a stramash that left the penalty box strewn with bodies.
Then came Bissouma’s long walk to the dressing room. “He’s been brilliant for us,” said a sympathetic Postecoglou. “Our reaction was outstanding.”
Half-time allowed time to regroup. Pierre-Emile Højbjerg replaced Richarlison but Spurs did not look especially secure. Adebayo had a glorious 47th-minute chance that looked unmissable and yet squirted behind to silence aghast home fans. “A big, big, big chance,” said a wincing Edwards. “We’ve been punished for it. We’re saying the same things at the moment.”
Similar quiet would descend after Maddison weaved through Luton’s defenders, wizardry in the fashion of a Gascoigne, a Ginola, a Hoddle, to lay up Van de Ven. As Luton waited for the restart, Tottenham’s latest maverick idled to the halfway line, a smirk on his face.
Spurs players are free to savour the fun times in a fashion unthinkable during the histrionics of Antonio Conte’s regime. “The players want to change the destiny of this football club,” said their indulgent new manager.
After his first goal for the club, Van de Ven said: “We have a great mentality and motivation as a team and we need to keep going in this way.”
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Not that Tottenham weren’t made to suffer for their smiles. Luton threw a Bedfordshire kitchen sink at the task. Within a frenzy of efforts on Spurs’ goal, Alfie Doughty volleyed wide, Guglielmo Vicario made a close-range save from Morris, Jacob Brown headed wide before Cauley Woodrow shot straight at the goalkeeper.
Postecoglou, ever the gambler, removed Maddison and Son Heung-min with 15 minutes left, Oliver Skipp and Emerson Royal’s arrival his attempt to lock things down. It paid off. Spurs grew in assurance as Luton sagged to an exhausted, beaten standstill.
