Southampton vs Tottenham Hotspur. Premier League.
St. Mary's StadiumAttendance31,361.
Southampton 1-1 Tottenham: Harry Kane moves to 99 Premier League goals but Spurs are held
Monday 22 January 2018 08:40, UK
Harry Kane scored his 99th Premier League goal but it was not enough for Tottenham to beat Southampton in a 1-1 draw on Super Sunday.
The striker moved within one of becoming the 27th Premier League centurion when equalising on 18 minutes after Davinson Sanchez had inadvertently put through his own net three minutes earlier.
Both teams created chances to win it in an entertaining clash in torrential conditions on the south coast as Southampton stretched their winless run to 11 games in the Premier League.
The result leaves Mauricio Pellegrino's men in the bottom three, a point from safety, while Spurs remain in fifth, two points off Liverpool in fourth, who play Swansea on Monday Night Football.
Heading into this game, Southampton's attackers had scored a total of 12 goals from a combined 93 appearances this season. Tottenham were in charitable mood and did the Saints' strikers job for them on 15 minutes when Sanchez turned a Ryan Bertrand cross into his own net.
Trending
- Papers: Gravenberch set to stay at Liverpool amid Real Madrid links
- Nunez and Elliott strike as Liverpool battle past Southampton
- Gabriel Jesus is back! Hat-trick for Arsenal striker sinks Palace
- Man Utd latest: Rashford has not travelled for Carabao Cup tie - reports
- Transfer Centre LIVE! 'Saudi could offer Rashford way out of Man Utd'
- Perez leaves Red Bull seat as 2025 exit confirmed
- Italian job! Tonali brace inspires Newcastle past Brentford
- Southampton 1-2 Liverpool - free match highlights and rate the players
- Football news: Mbappe scores as Real Madrid win Intercontinental Cup
- Vasseur: Convincing Hamilton to join Ferrari not difficult at all
Pellegrino's team had scored the opening goal in three of their last four home games, but failed to win any of them. The problem reared its head again as Spurs levelled three minutes later when Kane simply wanted it more than his marker Jack Stephens and bulleted home a header from close range.
Moussa Sissoko spurned a glorious opportunity from six yards on 30 minutes while Stephens headed inches wide from an excellent James Ward-Prowse delivery six minutes later.
As the rain relented, so did the clear-cut chances in the second period.
Dele Alli, who was subdued, drilled a low effort wide from 20 yards while Kane tried in vain to reach his milestone but a big chance evaded his clutches.
Substitute Erik Lamela nearly nicked it for Spurs late on but somehow he failed to convert from no more than three yards out after a magnificent block by Stephens.
There was still time for Southampton debutant Michael Obafemi - fresh from impressing in the under-17s - to spurn the chance to be an instant hero, missing his kick from eight yards with the goal gaping.
Man of the match: James Ward-Prowse
Fresh from scoring three goals in his last two games, the midfielder was in dynamic mood. Crashing into tackles to disrupt Tottenham's flow while also providing great quality from set-pieces with his gem of a right-boot. He really should have had an assist to his name but Stephens managed to head wide in the first-period after Ward-Prowse had put a free-kick on a plate for him.
Opta stats
- Since losing five consecutive top-flight trips to Southampton between 2000 and 2005, without scoring, Spurs are now unbeaten in their last six league visits to St Mary's (W4 D2).
- Indeed, the Saints have now lost nine points from leading positions at St Mary's this season; more than any other Premier League side on home soil.
- There were just 197 seconds between Southampton's opener and Harry Kane's equaliser for Tottenham.
- Kane has netted 11 goals in his last six starts in all competitions for Tottenham Hotspur.
- In fact, Kane has scored six goals in his last five Premier League games against Southampton, including three in his last three at St Mary's.
- Aged 17 years, 199 days, Obafemi became the second youngest player to make a Premier League appearance for Southampton after Luke Shaw (17y 116d).
Managers
Southampton boss Mauricio Pellegrino: "The players aren't fighting just for me, they are fighting for themselves and the club. The club is bigger than me and the players. We need to respect our fans and our board and the people that believe in us. My first commitment is to win myself as it's my profession - I want to win every game."
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino: "It was an even game, a difficult game to play. In possession, we made a lot of mistakes that allowed them lots of transitions. We created two massive chances but if you analyse the game it was a fair result. It wasn't our best version tonight -the pitch didn't help us but it was the same for both teams. We need to improve."
What's next?
The FA Cup is back next weekend and Southampton face a clash with Watford at St Mary's while Tottenham take a trip to Sky Bet League Two side Newport County on Saturday evening.