HARRY KANE broke his August scoring hoodoo on Saturday as Tottenham ran out easy victors against Fulham.

Fellow England international Kieran Trippier scored a sublime free-kick, reminiscent of his effort in the World Cup semi-final, after Fulham had equalised early in the second half through Aleksandar Mitrovic.

The sides had been split just before half time by Lucas Moura’s first Premier League goal when he found the far post with an exquisite curling left foot shot.

Tottenham and Fulham had two very contrasting summers. While the home team’s line-up featured only players who lined up for Spurs last season, and many who starred at the World Cup, Fulham had seven players on the pitch that joined the club since their play-off final victory.

So it’s unsurprising that for much of this game, Spurs oozed confidence and looked like world beaters, while Fulham seemed like a team of strangers.

The mentality of champions is what Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino wants. On a World Cup that saw Tottenham have more semi-finalists than any other team, he said: “For me the single player who had a good world cup was Hugo Lloris, he is the only champion.”

“To come second, third or fourth, the first feeling is of disappointment.”

He assessed his time at Tottenham with the same exalting standard. “Yes we got into the Champions League, but the feeling we have is also of disappointment.”

While much was made of Spurs not purchasing any players in the summer, they started the season with more than they had last season. On the field was a World Cup-winning captain, and a golden boot winner, as well as Trippier becoming a free-kick specialist and the return to the side of Belgium centre-back Toby Alderweireld, who was out in the wilderness for much of last year.

Tottenham’s goal is to win the league and beating promoted sides has to be a minimum requirement.

For Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic the problems could not be any more different. He needs to integrate 12 new players into his squad and assess them, while keeping the team that got him promoted happy.

They have played together for three years and they have quality. “I have 12 new players. Spurs showed that they are better players than us at the moment,” said Jokanovic. “I have to take care of my players, especially at the start, not to criticise too much.”

Jokanovic is still far from knowing what his best team is. “What is difficult for the players, first of all they must win the battle with themselves and they know that the only way is working hard and not thinking about getting a present from me, because I never give any players [a] present.”