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Tottenham Hotspur vs Southampton. Premier League.

Tottenham Hotspur StadiumAttendance59,645.

Tottenham Hotspur 2

  • T NDombele (24th minute)
  • S Aurier (sent off 31st minute)
  • H Kane (43rd minute)

Southampton 1

  • D Ings (39th minute)

Tottenham 2-1 Southampton: Spurs survive over an hour with 10 men to beat Saints

Report and highlights as Mauricio Pochettino's men put in brave showing to hang on for important win

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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from Tottenham's 2-1 win over Southampton in the Premier League

Tottenham overcame Serge Aurier's first-half red card and a comical Hugo Lloris error to grind out a brave 2-1 win over Southampton.

After the embarrassing midweek Carabao Cup defeat to Colchester, Mauricio Pochettino called in his programme notes for everyone associated with the club to "remain calm" while they navigate through a tricky spell.

This was the response Pochettino desired as Spurs - already ahead through Tanguy Ndombele (24) - were forced to dig in when Aurier was dismissed for a second yellow card (31).

Lloris then gifted Danny Ings an equaliser when trying to dribble past him inside his own six-yard box (39) but Harry Kane finished off a flowing team move (43) to put the 10 men in front.

Southampton dominated the second period in terms of territory but a rock-solid rearguard display by Spurs, marshalled by Lloris, who redeemed himself from his early error with two world-class stops, was enough for an important three points.

"Don't blame Hugo, blame me, I demand him to play in this way," said Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino.

"He showed great mentality [in the second half] and that is why he is one of the best in the world."

Also See:

Player Ratings

Tottenham: Lloris (6), Aurier (4), Alderweireld (8), Vertonghen (8), Rose (8), Sissoko (8), Winks (7), Ndombele (7), Eriksen (7), Kane (8), Son (8)

Subs: Lamela (7), Dier (N/A), Wanyama (N/A)

Southampton: Gunn (5), Bertrand (6), Bednarek (6), Yoshida (6), Vestergaard (6), Ward-Prowse (7), Romeu (6), Hojbjerg (6), Boufal (7), Redmond (6), Ings (6)

Subs: Armstrong (N/A), Long (N/A), Obafemi (N/A)

Man of the match:Moussa Sissoko

How Tottenham were made to graft for a big win

Saints began the game as the only team in the top four levels of English football without a first-half goal and looked keen on ending that early on as Spurs were full of nerves in front of an expectant crowd.

Ings chipped an audacious effort over the crossbar to signal Southampton's intent before Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg tested Lloris with a curling effort that needed tipping around the post.

Team news

Hugo Lloris was back between the sticks for Tottenham after missing last week’s game with Leicester for the birth of his child. It was one of two changes from the defeat at Leicester with Christian Eriksen given the nod ahead of Erik Lamela.

Meanwhile, Danny Ings’ double in midweek at Pompey was enough to get a start in the Premier League as Southampton made three changes from the defeat against Bournemouth. Also back in were Ryan Bertrand and Maya Yoshida while Ralph Hasenhutll had to reshuffle after losing Cedric Soares in the warm-up to a unspecified injury.

Heung-Min Son - playing almost as a left winger - was the catalyst for Spurs to grab some momentum in the game. Kane slipped at a vital moment inside the area on 20 minutes but four minutes later the net would bulge, thanks to Son's industry down the flank.

He forced the Saints back line deeper with a surging run and shifted a ball back for Ndombele to strike a powerful left-footed effort past Angus Gunn via a slight deflection.

Usually, an early goal in a fixture of this nature would send Spurs onto a comfortable victory, but they imploded just before the break to allow Saints back in.

Aurier - already booked for a lunge on Sofiane Boufal - was caught napping by Ryan Bertrand, who sprinted clear in behind him and cleverly hit the ground under contact. Referee Graham Scott was quick on the scene to give the Ivorian his marching orders.

Lloris then made Spurs' task even harder with a moment of pure madness inside his six-yard box. Only he will know why he decided to try and dribble past Ings near his goal-line.

The Southampton striker gleefully accepted what will probably be the easiest and most farcical Premier League goal he will ever score.

A crazy 15-minute period before the break ended with Kane hauling his team back into the lead despite the one-man disadvantage. A flowing move involving Son, Christian Eriksen and Kane ended with the England skipper finding half a yard inside the box and firing home with a potent finish into the corner.

Harry Kane celebrates Spurs' 2-1 win over Southampton
Image: Harry Kane celebrates Spurs' 2-1 win over Southampton

From the moment the referee sounded his whistle in the second half, Southampton set up camp in Spurs territory. However, for all their pretty build-up play around the box, the visitors lacked the required creativity to test the brilliantly organised back four of Spurs, led magnificently by Toby Alderweireld and makeshift full-back Moussa Sissoko.

As with most hard-fought victories, the goalkeeper needed to step up at times and Lloris came to the party with a wonderful fingertip save to foil a James Ward-Prowse free-kick and an agile stop to claw out a Maya Yoshida header.

After back-to-back defeats, as the full-time whistle sounded, it felt like more than just three points for Spurs.

"I'm proud. I was so happy for them, my players, my squad. We have unbelievable players, only we needed to recover the spirit that we showed today," reflected Pochettino.

Man of the match: Moussa Sissoko

Moussa Sissoko filled in at full-back and put in a majestic showing
Image: Moussa Sissoko filled in at full-back and put in a majestic showing

He is not going to find the net from 35 yards but boy is Sissoko a team player of the highest order. When given the task of filling in at full-back after Aurier's red card, Sissoko stepped up to the plate and put in a masterclass of a defensive performance under huge pressure from Southampton's left-sided players.

The Ivorian gained possession seven times - the most by any player on the pitch - and made five clearances as Southampton peppered the Spurs box with crosses. A man mountain back there.

What the managers said...

Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino said: "[There were] a few situations that could be a tough impact in a negative way today. We showed an amazing spirit and of course [we had] help [from] our fans, who were amazing. I am happy, so happy because of the players, because of the fans and the staff because they deserve to be in a different situation to the one we've been living in in the past few weeks for sure."

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Tottenham's Mauricio Pochettino thinks Serge Aurier shouldn't have received two yellow cards in their win over Southampton

Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl said: "We cannot be happy because the chance to take something here will not be that big again," he said.

"The momentum was on our side. To be that clinical, this is a step of development we have to take.

"We are not a side that is cool enough to finish such a game and this is something we have to work on.

"It is very disappointing, to come back in the game and make the equaliser, we had to come back into the break at 1-1 and then you can adapt your shape.

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Southampton's Ralph Hasenhuttl says giving Tottenham two goals really hurts as they fell to a 2-1 defeat

"But the way we defended the second goal was simply not good enough."

Pundit reaction: Charlie Nicholas

"It's a big win, a massive win. At times they were a bit fortunate. The second yellow card for Aurier was a bit harsh but it's a modern-day booking."

Opta stats

  • Kane scored in his sixth consecutive Premier League appearance against Southampton - only Robin van Persie vs Stoke (8), Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink vs West Ham (7) and Romelu Lukaku vs West Ham (7) have had longer scoring streaks against an opponent in the competition.
  • Ndombele has scored more goals in his first five Premier League appearances for Tottenham (2) than he managed in 69 Ligue 1 appearances for Amiens and Lyon combined (1).
  • Aurier became the first Tottenham player to be sent off in a Premier League home match since Kyle Naughton against Stoke in November 2014

What's next?

Tottenham return to their new home on Tuesday for an exciting Champions League encounter with Bayern Munich before taking on Brighton next Saturday when they will try to break a run of nine away league games without a win.

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Meanwhile, the Super Sunday cameras are at St Mary's next weekend as Southampton host Chelsea.

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