Tottenham Hotspur manager Andre Villas-Boas believes Roberto Soldado can supply his side with 20 goals this season after the Spain forward’s strike earned a 1-0 win at Crystal Palace.

Tottenham paid Valencia STG26 million ($A44.54 million) for Soldado and he began to repay their faith with a coolly taken penalty on Sunday, just as he had in last weekend’s pre-season friendly against Espanyol.

“Of course I think so,” Villas-Boas said when asked if Soldado could successfully export his La Liga form, which has seen him pass the 20-goal mark regularly.

“His career speaks for itself. To see him step up so confidently and put it to the same side as he did against Espanyol was important for us, so it was good to see him up there.”

With Gareth Bale sidelined by a foot injury and the Wales forward still being courted by Real Madrid over a potential world-record transfer, the pressure had been on Tottenham to record a rare opening-day success.

Villas-Boas opted for a formation that saw Soldado as the lone striker, with three attack-minded players behind him.

One, operating in Bale’s usual position on the left, was another new signing, Nacer Chadli, while STG17 million ($A29.12 million) fellow newcomer Paulinho was deployed alongside Mousa Dembele in front of the back four.

That set-up allowed Tottenham to dominate possession against a side who were playing in the Championship last season, but second-half misses by Gylfi Sigurdsson and substitute Jermain Defoe meant the hosts remained in the hunt for an equaliser until the final whistle.

Villas-Boas said he had been “extremely happy” with the way his new signings had fared.

“Most of these players arrived at a later stage, particularly Soldado and Paulinho, who have had two or three weeks with us only,” he said.

“Bearing in mind for all of them the Premier League is a different proposition in terms of intensity and passion for the game, they did extremely well.”