What's changed at Tottenham Hotspur?

Supporters at Tottenham Hotspur, United’s opponents on Saturday, are having to get used to a bigger adjustment than usual, though.

That’s following the departure of club captain and all-time leading goalscorer Harry Kane, whose transfer to Bayern Munich was announced by the Germans last Saturday.

The England marksman has already made his debut for the Bundesliga club, after bringing his 19-year association with the Lilywhites to an end.

Kane scored 280 times in 435 games for Spurs – winning three Premier League Golden Boots – and it’s not yet clear how the north Londoners will move to replace their talismanic former no.10, whose move brought a reported €100 million into the coffers.

Perhaps they won’t have to, as, in the long term, the most significant change may already have occurred in the dugout.

Ange Postecoglou was appointed in June to replace Antonio Conte (and subsequent interim bosses Cristian Stellini and Ryan Mason) after winning consecutive Scottish titles so impressively with Celtic.

The Australian, who arrived in Glasgow as a relative unknown from Japanese football in 2021, is renowned for his possession-heavy and pressing-based style, which, so far, has been welcomed as a breath of fresh air by fans who had experienced perhaps a more defensive approach to the game under Conte and predecessors Nuno Espirito Santo and Jose Mourinho.

“It's not just about winning, it's the manner in which you win. I've been explicit about that,” said the former Socceroos coach at his Spurs unveiling and the all-action philosophy was evident to see in the club’s pre-season games.

The four matches against West Ham, Singapore’s Lion City Sailors, Shakhtar Donetsk and Barcelona spawned 23 goals - 14 in the Lilywhites' favour - and the entertainment didn’t end when the real action began.

Spurs started their Premier League campaign at Brentford's Gtech Community Stadium on Sunday, taking an early lead through Cristian Romero before goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa turned the game on its head.

Emerson Royal levelled the scores in first-half injury-time and, although it would remain 2-2, Tottenham enjoyed two-thirds of the ball and had more shots than their opponents at what has, for the last two seasons, been a difficult place for most sides to visit.

Postecoglou hasn’t required a huge squad overhaul to enact his way of play either, with the peripheral Harry Winks and Lucas Moura the only other first-team squad members to leave on a permanent basis.

Dejan Kulusevski and Pedro Porro are now Tottenham players after their loan spells, while Ashley Phillips and Alejo Veliz look like signings for the future.

That leaves four major new arrivals, with James Maddison surely the headline capture from relegated Leicester City.

The England international has already succeeded Kane as Spurs’ no.10 and is Postecoglou’s new vice-captain, with Son Heung-min taking the armband.

Maddison assisted both of Tottenham’s goals in south-west London and looks to be a key piece of the puzzle under the Australian, as do goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario – signed from Empoli – and Mickey van de Ven, the centre-back who has been captured after impressing for Wolfsburg.

Manor Solomon, the Israel international who went on a mini-scoring streak while on loan at Fulham last season, has also joined after leaving Shakhtar.

Meanwhile, stalwarts like Hugo Lloris and Eric Dier were left out of the squad for the Brentford game, as Postecoglou looks to younger names to implement his vision.

Saturday’s match will be the Australian’s first at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and United can expect a hostile reception from the newly energised home crowd.

We have a good record at the new arena, with two wins and two draws from four visits, but that comes with the caveat that we have often played Spurs at a time when their boss is under pressure.

Jose Mourinho left shortly after our 3-1 victory there in April 2021, while Nuno was sacked immediately after another convincing Reds win six months later.

Mason was holding the fort the last time we came to town and Spurs rallied from two goals down to draw 2-2 but, with Postecoglou still in his honeymoon period, Erik ten Hag’s side face a different task altogether this time around.