Ten-man Spurs scale Premier League summit as Van de Ven sinks Luton

Ten-man Tottenham Hotspur maintained their unbeaten record as a narrow win at Luton took them top of the English Premier League table on Saturday.

Bissouma was sent off just before half-time for his needless second booking at Kenilworth Road but Mickey van de Ven's first goal for the club soon after the interval clinched unbeaten Tottenham's sixth win in eight league games.

Ange Postecoglou's side sit two points clear of second placed Manchester City, who travel to title rivals Arsenal on Sunday.

"We showed a lot of character and resilience. We started really well, should have been three or four up, but then you get the red card and it is a different type of game," Postecoglou said.

"I thought we held it together really well. In the end we get three points at a difficult place to go."

The north Londoners' superb start to Postecoglou's first season in charge have awoken dreams of an unexpected title challenge.

While that may yet prove beyond Tottenham, the Australian has undoubtedly had a huge impact on a club that was in turmoil when he arrived from Celtic.

A toxic combination of Tottenham's poor results and dour displays, combined with Harry Kane's close-season move to Bayern Munich, left many expecting another season of turmoil, but Postecoglou has worked wonders to steady the ship.

Premier League table (Top 4)

Team P GD Pts

Tottenham 8 10 20

Man City 7 12 18

Arsenal 7 9 17

Liverpool 7 9 16

He had already earned plaudits for energising Tottenham with his attacking tactics, but this gritty performance will have been equally pleasing.

It is the best unbeaten start any Tottenham manager has ever made and, with fixtures against Fulham and Crystal Palace up next, they could extend their unbeaten start through the rest of October.

"The players want to change the destiny of this football club and that is what they are trying to do on the pitch," Postecoglou said.

"It's going alright, but we're in October and still have a lot of work to do."

In their first meeting with Tottenham since a goalless draw in 1992, struggling Luton found it impossible to get a foothold in a blistering start from the visitors.

Richarlison should have put Tottenham ahead in the opening moments, but he scuffed wastefully over.

The Brazilian squandered another good chance seconds later with a low shot that lacked the power and accuracy to Luton keeper Thomas Kaminski, who saved with his foot.

Son was next to threaten as Tottenham laid siege to Kaminski's goal, with the South Korean curling wide from inside the area, then forcing a smart stop from the over-worked keeper.