Conte got his first PL win as Spurs manager to move to seventh as Sergio Reguilon completed the comeback against Leeds United.
The Italian will not forget his first home Premier League game in charge of Spurs in a hurry. Boos at half-time, ecstasy and adulation at the end. Welcome to Tottenham Antonio Conte.
Phillips set the first-half tone, forcing a save from Hugo Lloris with a beautifully arcing free-kick inside two minutes. Stuart Dallas saw his long-range effort fly narrowly wide before Joe Gelhardt’s effort flew just over the bar all inside the opening 15 minutes.
It was almost as if Spurs were stuck in second gear. Harry Kane, fresh from his seven-goal international haul, tried to inject some fire into Tottenham’s bellies.
But it wasn’t clicking; the home crowd’s frustration increasingly apparent with each passing minute.
In contrast, Leeds was brave, taking the game to Tottenham with the manner of the team who expected rather than hoped and took a deserved lead on the stroke of half-time.
Jack Harrison deserves the lion’s share of credit, his mesmerizing footwork out on the left-hand had Emerson Royal bamboozled.
Harrison’s cross was just as assured, laying the ball on plate for Daniel James to ram home at the back post.
Tottenham supporters laid the blame on their players, jeering the team off as Andre Marriner blew up for half-time.
Sure, Tottenham were inept – but Leeds were good. Very good. But the way Spurs responded will encourage Conte.
Kane saw his effort saved on to the post just 33 seconds into the second half to register Tottenham’s first shot on target in a Premier League game in 272 minutes before Heung-min Son also hit the woodwork.
Had Lloris not got a hand to James’ low effort in the 47th minute then perhaps this game may have turned out differently.
But on such things Premier League football matches are decided; Conte and Bielsa don’t need to be reminded of that.
And in the 58th minute, Tottenham were level. Harry Winks, who produced an encouraging performance on his first Premier League start since September, laid the ball out to left to Sergio Reguilon who stroked in a cross that sparked havoc in the Leeds area.
Eventually, Lucas Moura found Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg on the edge of the area and the Dane fired past an out of position Illan Meslier to send the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium into raptures.
Conte couldn’t be contained either; celebrating in his own unmistakeable animated way.
But that was nothing compared to the scenes when Reguilon smashed home Tottenham’s winner 11 minutes later.
Liam Cooper was booked for his foul on Moura, but what followed was a far more decisive punishment.
Eric Dier stepped up to take the free-kick, his effort deflecting off the wall to leave Meslier wrong-footed.
By the look of things, Conte appears to have cajoled Spurs out of their early season slumber.