Skipp becomes Spurs' youngest starter since Bale on Premier League bow

Oliver Skipp has become Tottenham’s youngest Premier League starter since Gareth Bale after being handed his league start against Burnley.

Mauricio Pochettino opted to include the youngster from the off during the Premeir Lague meeting.

Skipp has been involved with the Spurs first-team on previous occasions this season, and made his debut in a Carabao Cup clash with West Ham.

He was then handed his first top-flight minutes when stepping off the bench against Southampton.

That outing came at Wembley Stadium, and he was back at the home of English football on Saturday.

Pochettino shuffled his pack against Burnley, with an 18-year-old asked to patrol the middle of the park alongside Moussa Sissoko.

Skipp is highly regarded by Tottenham as another product of their famed academy system.

In figuring against Burnley, he has followed in some illustrious footsteps for the north London outfit.

Bale was not a home-grown product for Spurs, having been acquired from Southampton, but he was a teenager when introduced to the fold.

The Welshman made his debut back in 2007 against Manchester United.

Skipp is the youngest Premier League starter since then, and the fifth youngest in Tottenham’s Premier League history.

Stephen Carr, Andy Turner and Philip Ifil join Bale on the list of teenage talents to have been introduced early, with that trio all 17 when used for the first time.

Skipp will be hoping he can go on to emulate the likes of Carr and Bale, who both enjoyed productive spells with Spurs before taking on new challenges.

He could form part of a Premier League title challenge this season, with Pochettino’s side still very much in the mix despite the impressive starts enjoyed by Liverpool and Manchester City.