EPL

Tottenham equal second-longest scoring run by netting in 36th consecutive game

By Sports Desk February 11, 2024

Tottenham scored for a 36th successive Premier League game in Saturday’s 2-1 win over Brighton to equal the second-longest run in Premier League history.

Here, the PA news agency looks at how they have done it and the record run still in front of them.

Scoring for fun

After losing 1-0 to Wolves in March, Tottenham scored in their final 12 games of last season – even as they sacked manager Antonio Conte and then caretaker Cristian Stellini, the latter following a shambolic 6-1 defeat to Newcastle.

They finished the season with Ryan Mason in charge and have not let up this term under a fourth manager in Ange Postecoglou, netting at least once in every game so far – 51 goals in 24 games, to add to their 24 in last season’s portion of the scoring run for a total of 75.

They have also conceded 63 at the other end and have kept only six clean sheets along the way as they rival Saturday’s opponents Brighton as the Premier League’s great entertainers – Albion’s own sequences of 32 consecutive games without being shut out and 20 in which both teams had scored were ended by December’s 2-0 loss to Arsenal.

Postecoglou’s side have matched Manchester United’s run from December 2007 to November 2008, and Liverpool from March 2019 to February 2020.

Spurs would need to score in every game for the rest of this season and the first five of next term to equal the record of 55, set by rivals Arsenal from May 2001 to November 2002.

Son shines in scoring streak

Captain Son Heung-min is Spurs’ top scorer in those games with 17 goals, joined in double figures by the departed Harry Kane with 12 and Richarlison on 11.

They have had 19 different scorers in all, in addition to own goals by opponents Lisandro Martinez, Joel Matip and Joel Ward. Pedro Porro has made the most appearances, featuring in 34 of the 36 games.

Their stand-out performances in front of goal saw them beat Burnley 5-2 in September as well as 4-1 wins over Newcastle this season and Leeds last.

They have scored three goals on six occasions, netting twice 17 times and once on 10 occasions, averaging 2.08 goals per game.

That compares to 2.13 for Arsenal on their 55-game run, which encompassed the last game of 2000-01, their entire 2001-02 title win and the first 16 games of the following campaign. The Gunners, though, conceded barely a goal a game (56) compared to 1.75 for Spurs.

Arsene Wenger’s side surprisingly had only 15 different scorers, plus four opposition own goals. Thierry Henry racked up 31 of their 117 goals, with Sylvain Wiltord on 18, Freddie Ljungberg 15 and 10 apiece for Robert Pires and Dennis Bergkamp.

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    PLAYERS TO WATCH

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    Son scored twice for Spurs in the reverse fixture against Arsenal in September – a 2-2 draw at the Emirates Stadium. In all competitions, only five players have scored more goals in the fixture's history than Son's seven. 

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