Micky van de Ven hailed Tottenham Hotspur’s “mentality and motivation” after they overcame a tricky Luton Town side at Kenilworth Road.
Spurs were reduced to ten men just before halftime when Yves Bissouma received a second booking for simulation. The midfielder will serve a one game suspension and miss the Premier League game against Fulham after the international break.
The visitors eventually broke the deadlock when Van de Ven scored his first goal for the club seven minutes after the interval following some impressive skill from James Maddison. They saw out a 1-0 win to go top of the Premier League table for at least one day.
“An incredible match, I think we showed a great mentality as a team,” the Dutch defender told TNT Sports. “Really happy I managed to score my first goal for the club and we got a clean sheet too, which is what we want as defenders.”
The 22-year-old, who moved to Tottenham from Wolfsburg for around €50m in the summer, has already developed an understanding with his teammates, as evidenced by his winning goal.
“I knew James Maddison, always when he goes past the defence, looks for the cut back,” he said. “So I stepped backwards from where I was in the box, the ball came to me and I just tapped it in. An amazing feeling.”
Ange Postecoglou’s side are now unbeaten after eight games heading into the international break following a terrific start to the 2023/24 campaign.
“It has been really good,” Van de Ven added. “We have showed that we are together as a team, like a family. We have a great mentality and motivation as a team and we need to keep going in this way.
“We need to make sure that we stay fit when we go away with the national teams, everybody has to come back fit and ready. Then when we get back, we have to continue.”
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