Winners and Losers from Southampton vs. Tottenham
Tottenham Hotspur are back in the winner's circle after a 2-0 win over Southampton.
The match was won in a three-minute spell where Harry Kane and Dele Alli both scored.
Spurs didn't play particularly well. They were dominated in the opening exchanges and seemed genuinely at risk of being overrun.
Southampton failed to produce clear chances and ultimately paid the price.
This result, and Manchester United's 2-1 defeat at home to Norwich City, puts Tottenham into the top four just six days after the calamitous loss to Newcastle United.
Last Sunday, Spurs looked well short of the required quality, but today they were much improved.
Winner: Kyle Walker
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Kyle Walker has been quietly enjoying a fine campaign for Tottenham this season, but against Southampton, he was really tested.
Dusan Tadic's mix of pace and clever movement constantly asked questions of Walker, but the Spurs man was up to the challenge.
Not only was he key to Tottenham's resilient defensive performance, Walker also left his mark on the game going forward.
With both teams seeking to flood the midfield, space was available on the flanks, and Walker consistently made himself available as an outlet down the right.
His assist for Dele Alli's goal just before half-time was a deserved result for the work he was putting in.
His willingness to wait for the right pass was a good example of the growing maturity in his game.
Walker won the duel against Tadic, and the Serb was ultimately withdrawn by Ronald Koeman.
Loser: Kevin Friend
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Referee Kevin Friend did not enjoy a fine game on the south coast.
His inability to consistently apply his interpretation of the rules irritated both the players on the pitch and the supporters in the stands.
He often seemed to be guessing when deciding close fouls.
Friend has a frustrating tendency to hesitate, seemingly waiting for the crowd's reaction, before blowing his whistle.
He punished Dele Alli for a foul throw early in the second half. It is laudable to attempt to enforce the rules at throw-ins, but the resultant Southampton throw was equally illegal and went unpunished.
By the end of the match, Friend's scatter-gun approach was becoming laughable.
He was slammed by Liverpool fans when he refereed one of their matches earlier in the season.
Both Tottenham and Southampton's supporters can probably sympathise.
Winner: Sadio Mane
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Sadio Mane was everywhere against Tottenham.
The Senegalese forward is a remarkably energetic, indefatigable attacking force, and he could have snatched the points for Southampton with a little more luck.
Mane is routinely linked with big European clubs, and his consistently exciting play is the reason why.
Seemingly playing outside Ronald Koeman's structure, Mane has the freedom to pop up wherever he sees a chance, and that makes him a terrifying opponent.
Even his usually unflappable former Saints team-mate Toby Alderweireld was frustrated by Mane's refusal to go away.
Mane failed to score, but he was Southampton's best option and seemed the most likely man to drag them back into this fixture.
Loser: Virgil van Dijk
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The first half of this match was a hard-fought but largely scrappy affair.
It seemed unlikely that the two sides would trade goals. Instead, chances would be at a premium and a single goal would probably decide the result.
So Virgil van Dijk's gutless attempt to tackle Harry Kane late in the first half probably lost the game for Southampton.
Kane does not need to be invited to score, but Van Dijk's feckless attempt to stop him was as good as laying out the red carpet. the England man took the chance, scoring his first Premier League goal in nearly a month.
Three minutes later, a shell-shocked Southampton conceded again, and the game was more or less decided with Van Dijk chiefly at fault.
The big Dutchman has been a fine signing for Saints this season, but that moment of weakness cost his new team dearly.
Winner: Harry Kane
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This was a vintage performance from Harry Kane.
He wrenched Tottenham into the lead with an individual goal of great quality, bouncing off defenders before ripping his shot past the Southampton goalkeeper.
He hadn't scored in the league since November 22, so this goal happily ended a mini-drought and lifted him to his 11th goal of the season in all competitions.
Aside from his goal, Kane worked tirelessly on a heavy pitch.
He ran, he pressed and he attacked with vigour. Kane made Spurs win this game.
There will be some concern over the twisted knee that he suffered in the closing minutes of the game, but he was able to carry on.
