Player ratings as Kane double earns win

A brace from Harry Kane continued Tottenham’s unbeaten begin to the Premier League season in a 2-0 away victory over Nottingham Forest on Sunday.

Only 5 minutes had elapsed when Spurs opened the scoring on the breakaway. Dejan Kulusevski collected a free ball within the centre circle earlier than striding ahead and releasing Kane in house. The England worldwide set his sights, rolling the ball into the underside nook to go away Dean Henderson rooted to the spot.

Brennan Johnson was significantly menacing for Forest within the early exchanges, nevertheless it was the guests who have been carving open their hosts at will on the counter-attack.

Joe Worrall was compelled right into a last-ditch sliding problem to disclaim Kane a fast double after the ahead was slipped by.

Son Heung-min then curled an effort agonisingly over the crossbar after Forest didn’t clear their traces. At the opposite finish, Lewis O’Brien stung the palms of Hugo Lloris from distance the place Worrall was inches away from getting on the top of the rebound.

Johnson and Morgan Gibbs-White mixed neatly from Harry Toffolo’s low pushed cross 4 minutes earlier than the interval, however the latter steered his effort astray.

All of Forest’s endeavour threatened to be undone, nonetheless, when referee Craig Pawson pointed to the penalty spot after Steve Cook dealt with the ball whereas contesting with Kane within the air. The Forest defender was maybe lucky solely to see a yellow card, however he was indebted to his goalkeeper when Henderson sprung to his proper to disclaim Kane from 12 yards.

The roof almost got here off the City Ground minutes later when the house facet raced down the opposite finish and got here inside inches of an equaliser. Toffolo’s cross was headed into the trail of Neco Williams by Yates, however the Welshman’s effort was deflected broad.

Son had a few bites at objective that have been heroically thwarted by Forest to disclaim Spurs their second of the afternoon, whereas Kulusevski went shut minutes later.

Steve Cooper threw on most of his summer time signings in quest of an equaliser, with Emmanuel Dennis going shut within the 79th minute after jinking inside and firing in direction of objective.

However, the guests killed the sport 9 minutes from time by a dependable supply. Substitute Ryan Sessegnon had initially made a multitude of a two-on-one scenario, however Richarlison confirmed spectacular endeavour to retrieve the ball on the touchline. The Brazilian picked out Kane on the again publish who, unmarked, had the only of headed finishes on the again publish to make amends for his earlier penalty miss.

Worrall had the possibility to cut back the arrears in stoppage time after the ball fell invitingly for the defender from a nook, however he blazed over.

Here’s how each groups rated.

GK: Dean Henderson – 7/10 – Huge cease to disclaim the often dependable Kane from the penalty spot. His celebration afterwards instructed its personal story.

RCB: Joe Worrall – 7/10 – Made a significant last-ditch problem to stop Kane from grabbing his second contained in the opening quarter-hour. Solid in his defensive duels.

CB: Steve Cook – 4/10 – His resolution to comply with Kane deep inadvertently led to Spurs’ opener. Recovered his composure however he was lucky to keep away from a crimson card for a handball from a Perisic cross, though he was vindicated by the penalty save.

LCB: Scott McKenna – 6/10 – Hardly lined himself in glory for Spurs’ opener, struggling to match Kane’s tempo as the Englishman darted into the house. But he was actually composed with the ball and helped complement Toffolo.

RWB: Neco Williams – 6/10 – Wasn’t afraid to unleash at objective at any time when the chance arose. His overlaps down the correct precipitated Spurs loads of points.

CM: Ryan Yates – 6/10 – Passed up an honest headed alternative shortly after the restart, nevertheless it underlined his menace working from midfield.

CM: Lewis O’Brien – 6/10 – Terrier-like efficiency. Snapping into challenges and displaying nice composure in possession.

LWB: Harry Toffolo – 7/10 – Picked up some promising positions all through, throwing a number of depraved deliveries into the penalty space. Looked like Forest’s brightest artistic menace.

RAM: Jesse Lingard – 4/10 – Lacked conviction when carrying the ball and nonetheless appears wanting sharpness in a Forest shirt.

LAM: Morgan Gibbs-White – 6/10 – Linked significantly properly with Johnson in assault. Had a few sightings at objective and his high quality in assault was evident.

ST: Brennan Johnson – 7/10 – Started the sport with a sharpness to his motion and carried it all through. Proved actually efficient at darting in behind the Spurs defence and mixing with these behind him.

SUB: Emmanuel Dennis (69′ for Lingard) – 5/10 – Made an honest impression in assault.

SUB: Remo Freuler (75′ for O’Brien) – N/A

SUB: Taiwo Awoniyi (75′ for Cook) – N/A

SUB: Cheikhou Kouyate (75′ for Yates) – N/A

SUB: Sam Surridge (90′ for Johnson) – N/A

Manager: Steve Cooper – 7/10 – His staff performed with conviction in possession and there is little he can do to affect the decision-making within the closing third. Got most of his summer time signings on the pitch within the second half.

GK: Hugo Lloris – 6/10 – Spurs managed to minimise Forest to photographs astray, however the Frenchman stood up when required.

RCB: Davinson Sanchez – 5/10 – Sliced at a number of clearances out of defence that helped Forest maintain their strain. Quite clear why he is not a daily starter beneath Conte.

CB: Eric Dier – 6/10 – Really dominant within the air when required, however Forest tended to maintain the ball on the deck.

LCB: Ben Davies – 6/10 – Defended with resilience, making a few respectable blocks as Forest took intention in direction of objective.

RWB: Emerson Royal – 5/10 – Didn’t provide a lot of an attacking menace given Forest had Spurs pinned in for giant spells.

CM: Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg – 6/10 – His defensive positioning was often sound sufficient, however his distribution of the ball was missing and contributed to a poor efficiency in possession for Spurs. Clever at shopping for fouls.

CM: Rodrigo Bentancur – 6/10 – Often bypassed too simply in midfield. Lacked the required chunk out and in of possession, though he made an important interception on a cut-back scenario for Forest within the second half.

LWB: Ivan Perisic – 6/10 – Delivered a stunning stood-up cross to attract the second half penalty for Spurs. Really efficient at arriving late on the left for the change of play.

RW: Dejan Kulusevski – 6/10 – Weighted his cross to perfection to launch Kane for the opener. Didn’t see an terrible lot of the ball, however his menace in transition was obvious within the second half.

ST: Harry Kane – 8/10 – Basically rolled the ball into the web to open the scoring for Spurs inside 5 minutes. Was at his menacing greatest all through on the counter-attack and redeemed himself for his penalty miss by doubling Spurs’ benefit late on.

LW: Son Heung-min – 3/10 – Made a meal of a one-on-one scenario within the first half, albeit he was clearly offside, which underlined the fragility in his confidence. Looked upset to be taken off.

SUB: Ryan Sessegnon (74′ for Perisic) – 5/10 – Made a meal of a gilt-edged two-on-one scenario earlier than Kane finally scored.

SUB: Richarlison (74′ for Son) – 6/10 – Certainly made an impression, delivering for Kane to double Spurs’ benefit earlier than drawing the ire of the Forest gamers for showboating.

SUB: Yves Bissouma (83′ for Kulusevski) – N/A

SUB: Djed Spence (90′ for Bentancur) – N/A

Manager: Antonio Conte – 5/10 – Spurs’ defensive resilience is by design, however the Italian must unleash a number of extra of his summer time additions to boost the standard of his facet.