Thursday 28 June 2018 15:53, UK
Tottenham are adamant the need to replace thousands of faulty seats at their new stadium will not delay test events or scheduled matches.
The north London club were hoping to be able to move into the 62,000-seat venue for the start of the new Premier League campaign, but construction work overran.
And earlier this month it was confirmed Spurs would host Fulham on August 18 at Wembley, where they played all their 2017-18 home fixtures.
Liverpool are therefore set to be the first visitors to the new ground on September 15.
Operational test events for the stadium are in place for August 5, 18/19 and 25/26, as well as September 1/2 in the lead-up to the Liverpool fixture.
Tottenham reportedly need to replace 15,000 padded seats which have already been installed, but without the correct pigment to guard against the dark-blue colour fading because of the weather.
The club say action is already being taken, with no suggestion of an overall issue on construction deadlines, as 3,000 staff continue working on the site of the old White Hart Lane ground in order to get the new stadium finished.
A club spokesman said: "All seats affected are being swiftly replaced and it will not have any impact on the scheduling of our operational test events that are due to commence at the start of August - or our first home fixture in our new stadium against Liverpool."
Tottenham would not comment on the reported number of seats which needed to be replaced.
Fixtures at Watford, which was reversed after initially being a Tottenham home game, and Manchester United, plus an international break, have bought Spurs time to complete necessary work on the stadium.
The scheduled visit of Liverpool comes three days before matchday one of the Champions League, which could see Spurs host a European fixture at the new venue for the first time.
