Tottenham too good for Southampton

Spurs struck four past ten-man Southampton at St Mary’s to lift themselves to within one of Arsenal in the Premier League table with a 4-1 win on the south coast.

A lethargic first half saw the sides go in level at the break with headers from Virgil van Dijk and Delle Alli cancel each other out.

A further headed goal, this time from Harry Kane, saw Spurs edge ahead, before a red card for Saints’ Nathan Redmond saw the dynamic of the game change. Kane skied the resulting penalty over the bar, but late goals from Son Heung-Min and Alli saw Spurs home as Mauricio Pochettino's side consolidated fifth place in the table, with Saints sitting eighth in the division, having conceded four at home for the first time in nine-and-a-half years.

No sooner had play commenced at St Mary’s than we had a goal. James Ward-Prowse whipped a free-kick in from the left at pace and Dutchman Van Dijk – who’s having a hugely impressive season for the Saints – rose highest in the middle of the area to head home to the bottom-left corner of the onion sack past Hugo Lloris after just 69 seconds of action.

The Londoners pressed immediatley for a riposte with Kane surging forward in the centre of the field only to see his effort on goal sail high over the crossbar.

Spurs were ragged in defence as the game ticked past the first quarter of an hour, with Saints eager to push on and attempt to capitalise as Redmond unleased a venomous low drive from the edge of the area that whistled wide of the left post with Lloris seemingly beaten.

But Saints were to be caught offguard in defence themselves. A cross in from the left by Frenchman Moussa Sissoko took a large deflection off the back of Redmond, which lofted it perfectly into the path of England international Alli to connect with the head – as he beat Van Dijk to the ball – and send it to the net via the stanchion, for a somewhat against the run of play equaliser.

Spurs began to control possession, using the flanks to get balls into the red zone, with Christian Eriksen coming closest when he got on the end of a low cross across the top of the box from Kyle Walker, but like Kane before him, the Dane could only succeed in directing his effort the wrong side of the crossbar.

That control led to Kenyan midfield destroyer Victor Wanyama gliding into the Saints’ box only to see his thumping effort on goal blocked away in the six-yard area.

The second half began in lethargy bar one moment of genius that thrust Spurs into the lead. A corner from the right from Eriksen was directed towards the top of the box, where Kane had evaded his marker Oriol Romeu, to direct a powerful header towards the net, which Fraser Forster got a hand to but couldn’t prevent from ruffling the net.

The game should have been a closed book a few minutes later as Redmond hauled down Alli in the box and as the last man was shown a straight red. However, entrusted with the spot kick, Kane blasted the ball sky high over the bar – looking at the ground in disgust in the suggestion soggy turf disturbed his run up – leaving ten-man Saints still in the tie.

Having already been on top, the extra man did as expected and strengthed Spurs’ grip on the match, with Wanyama testing Forster with a piledriver from 25 yards out.

A triple substiution for Saints with 20 left on the clock saw Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Dusan Tadic and Ireland stirker Shane Long all introduced as Claude Puel looked to inject fresh vigour into his tiring troops.

It was Spurs who had the immediate chance after the change in personnel; however, as Eriksen rattled the woodwork with an effort crashing against the crossbar.

But a chance did appear for Saints courtesy of Lloris. The Spurs keeper scuffed a clearance to Hojbjerg but with the keeper off his line the Danish midfielder himself scuffed his effort along the floor for Eric Dier to clear.

And then Spurs put Saints to bed and tucked them in.

A ball over the top from Eriksen took a deflection off Romeu, which allowed it to drop for Son to sprint into the box and finish low and right past Forster. The game had barely recommenced and it was four. Danny Rose broke down the left, before feeding Alli to finish low before wheeling off to celebrate with the adoring Spurs faithful.

By Nick Royle

Photo: Getty/Julian Finney

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