GREAT EXPECTATIONS!

Jose wanted to shut down the hype around £27m signing Bergwijn. No chance now…

Don’t expect too much was the message from Jose Mourinho as he prepared to hand Steven Bergwijn his tottenham debut.

‘A player for the future,’ said Mourinho. ‘A young boy. Let’s not try to put him under pressure so that he has to arrive and perform, has to score, has to be man of the match, has to start the game. But he is a player that sooner or later the fans are going to love.’

It turned out to be sooner rather than later as Bergwijn started, scored and laid claim to being man of the match.

Little more than an hour had elapsed against Manchester City and Spurs were yet to muster a shot at goal when Lucas Moura clipped a pass into a congested penalty area.

Bergwijn’s instinct kicked in as he picked up the flight of the ball, moved towards it and brought it down on his chest.

His control was impeccable in a tight area, directing it down sharply, and his feet were quick as he adjusted, twisted and unleashed a volley which fizzed from his right boot. He didn’t try to smash it too hard and his aim was true, low into the bottom corner past City keeper Ederson as the tottenham Hotspur Stadium erupted.

Much had been made of the 17,500capacity South Bank when the new stadium opened last year, about how it would provide a wall of noise akin to the home end at Borussia Dortmund. In truth, there has not been a great deal to shout about this season.

this moment delivered, however, as tottenham took the lead against the champions and the 22-year- old Dutchman, signed for £27million from PSV Eindhoven last week, sprinted towards his new public in euphoric celebration.

‘Unbelievable,’ said Bergwijn. ‘A dream for me that’s come true, and I’m so happy to be here. As a little kid you want to play in the Premier League, and if you score on your debut it’s unbelievable.’

By the end it had become the perfect debut. no matter what Mourinho said, all eyes were on him and he quickly endeared himself to the home fans when he took the ball from Manchester City’s former tottenham full back Kyle Walker.

there were promising flicks and twists, often too far from the City goal, although this was Spurs lurking in the deep, massed at the back,, on the back foot with a strategyegysimiloyed

similar to the one they deployed when Liverpool visited.d.

they don’t like to seeee their team playing onn the back-foot in these parts and for more than an hour Moura toiled up front between Son Heungmin and Bergwijn with Dele Alli for support, and they did not threaten Ederson’ss goal. C Ity dominatedd possesa possession, carving out and wasting chances as if there would always be another one around the corner, while Mourinho’s team stuck to the plan, tried to remain patient, organised and focused. Hoping for a flash of inspiration from one of their attacking quartet or a slip from the visitors as they overindulged and left themselves exposed at the back, as they are prone to do.

As it turned out Spurs got both. there was a mistake from oleksandr Zinchenko who was dismissed on the hour for a second yellow card, a tactical foul to stop Harry Winks as he broke out of defence. then there was the brilliance from Bergwijn, firing Spurs ahead with their first shot of the game, a smack on the nose for Pep Guardiola as he lined up a change to accommodate the loss of his left back.

the new signing had the Spurs fans out of their seats again 10 minutes later. Felled by cramp, he was replaced by Erik Lamela and forced to trudge back around to the bench from the opposite side of the pitch.

Bergwijn was basking in the applauseas he hobbled behind the City goal just as Son scored the second with tottenham’s ssecond effort at goal aand the noise exexploded again. SomSometimes it must feel likeli it’s meant to be. ‘It is the best way to come to a club,’ said Mourinho afterwards, still trying his best to deflect attention and expectation from Bergwijn.

‘He arrived on tuesday and worked hard during the week to understand as fast as possible what we wanted from him. He is very intelligent, humble. It was a good goal and a very solid performance against such a difficult opponent like Kyle Walker.

‘then he was clever enough to appear in other zones and try to create problems to City. Also defensively, very aware of his position, defending zonally, covering positions. And then of course the goal is a great goal and so important for us.

‘At home against the champions, to score a goal, not a normal goal, couldn’t be better.’

Good luck keeping a lid on those expectations now, Jose.