Sebastien Bassong acknowledged that he experienced the "perfect debut" after scoring the winner for Tottenham Hotspur in their 2-1 victory over Liverpool at White Hart Lane. Bassong scored his first goal in English football to put an early dent into the Reds' hopes of going one better and winning the Barclays Premier League this season.

And he paid tribute to the influence of Ledley King in helping him to settle in at the north London club. Bassong said: "It is the perfect debut, my first game with Spurs, and I am really happy to score to get the win.

"To win the first game is really good for the confidence and good for the team in the head and the mind," said Bassong.

"But to play next to Ledley is easy because he talks all the time and he helped me so I have just had to work hard like him."

Bassong can score goals. He is a fantastic header of the ball and I think he is going to be a tremendous player for us.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp

King said: "After beginning last season so badly, it was important to get off to a good start. Liverpool was always going to be a tough side.

"But, in terms of the team-work and the work rate, we couldn't have asked for anymore.

"It is the first game, a hot day, both teams were a bit tentative but, when we picked up the pace we looked the most dangerous," said King. "When we caught them on the break, we looked at our best."

Spurs manager Harry Redknapp said: "Bassong can score goals. He is a fantastic header of the ball and I think he is going to be a tremendous player for us.

"I thought the game could have been over at half-time. We had three great opportunities. I felt we were much the better team at half-time.

"I felt if we kept playing the way we were, we would win quite comfortably," he said. "Liverpool came back at us, but over the 90 minutes I thought we were the better side today."