Match ends, Southampton 1, Tottenham Hotspur 1.
Southampton boss Mauricio Pellegrino said he was not concerned by speculation about his position after a 1-1 draw with Tottenham extended his side's winless run in the Premier League to 11 games.
Saints, who have not won in the league since the 4-1 victory over Everton on 26 November, have not been on such a run since 1998.
"I don't worry about my job because I am happy doing the job. It is part of our life," said Argentine Pellegrino, who has been at St Mary's since June.
"In Argentina we say that the job is the electric chair - it is not easy to stay in the seat."
Sunday's result means Tottenham missed the chance to move level on points with fourth-placed Liverpool.
The hosts took a deserved early lead as Spurs central defender Davinson Sanchez diverted Ryan Bertrand's low cross into his own net.
The advantage lasted less than four minutes, though, with Harry Kane - the division's top scorer - nodding home a straightforward header as the Saints defence failed to compete for Ben Davies' corner.
Jack Stephens missed a glorious opportunity to restore Southampton's lead before the break, but neither side could carve out the same quality of chance before a frantic finale.
As Tottenham rallied late on, Stephens made amends for his earlier error by blocking Erik Lamela's goalbound shot with six minutes to go.
At the other end, 17-year-old debutant Michael Obafemi could not direct Dusan Tadic's shot on goal with one of his first touches off the bench, before Sofiane Boufal and Kane wasted openings for their respective sides.
Southampton are a point off 17th-placed Stoke in the table.
Tottenham, however, will be cut five points adrift of the top four if Liverpool beat Swansea on Monday.
Saints' lapse holds them back
Southampton's performance showed both the reasons behind their rotten form and why their general play has merited more.
Even before Sanchez poked the ball into the back of his own net, Manolo Gabbiadini had tested Michel Vorm from distance and come close to getting a telling touch to Tadic's cross.
Tottenham's equaliser did nothing to sap their attacking energy and enthusiasm either, with Stephens heading past the angle of post and bar from James Ward-Prowse's vicious delivery.
Intelligent in possession and organised without the ball, it was the sort of display that had secured a point at Manchester United and come within a few minutes of beating Arsenal during their winless run.
But it had been undermined by a horrendous lapse in concentration.
Just 197 seconds after Saints took the lead, Kane eased aside Stephens, rose above Gabbiadini and planted a header past a rooted Alex McCarthy from five yards.
Reports before the match claimed Monaco striker Guido Carrillo and Spartak Moscow winger Quincy Promes are in Pellegrino's sights as he seeks to reinvest the windfall from Virgil van Dijk's £75m move to Liverpool.
To invest in more firepower, rather than a commanding defensive figure similar to their departed Dutchman, might be the gamble that decides the Argentine's future.
Alli still searching for his groove
With Tottenham short of the scintillating form that had sliced apart Everton last weekend, manager Mauricio Pochettino brought Son Heung-Min into the centre of his attack, just behind Kane, from the left wing at half-time.
When the South Korean's guile could not unpick the lock, he was replaced by Erik Lamela with 20 minutes remaining.
The problem may have been the man left on the pitch, however.
Dele Alli has scored two goals in his past 16 matches and, without the ill Christian Eriksen alongside him, was again ineffectual in the playmaking role.
The 21-year-old admitted in December that he was struggling to recreate the stellar form of his previous two campaigns.
Pochettinho, while admitting a saturated St Mary's surface did not help, was not happy with the tempo his side set in attack.
"We needed to move the ball quicker and create more," he said.
"A few players were affected last week with illness but it's not an excuse.
"The result is the result because football punishes us for not using the ball."
As the run-in gathers pace and the World Cup looms, both he and England counterpart Gareth Southgate will hope Alli can rediscover his form soon.
Man of the match - Ryan Bertrand (Southampton)
Worst dry run since 1998 - the stats
- Southampton are winless in their past 11 Premier League games, their longest such run without a victory since October 1998, also 11 games, and their longest across a single season since March 1995.
- Since losing five consecutive top-flight trips to Southampton between 2000 and 2005, without scoring, Spurs are unbeaten in their past six league visits to St Mary's.
- The Saints have lost nine points from leading positions at St Mary's this season; more than any other Premier League side on home soil.
- Kane has netted 11 goals in his past six starts in all competitions for Tottenham.
- Kane has scored six goals in his past five Premier League games against Southampton, including three in his past three at St Mary's.
- Aged 17 years and 199 days, Obafemi became the second youngest player to make a Premier League appearance for Southampton after Luke Shaw, who was 17 years and 116 days old.
'It is not easy to stay in the seat' - what they said
Southampton manager Mauricio Pellegrino: "We have to continue in this way, the spirit and the commitment on the pitch was very good. Against these types of team you can lose in a minute, everything can change but we were there until the end.
"We are in trouble in the table but in three or four weeks it can change. Between 10 or 11 teams there are just a few points and that will stay the same.
Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino: "The game was even, we had more possession but we needed to be more aggressive and create more chances, The performance wasn't great but the pitch didn't help.
"You must give credit to the opponent, but I am not happy with our performance.
"It is temporary that Southampton are in the relegation zone, for sure they will push up the table. It is two points we are going to miss at the end of the season because it is so tough between six or seven teams.
On possible transfer-window business: "It is not easy to add a player who can help for three months. It is very difficult. For some clubs it is easier but it is not easy for us."
What's next
Southampton meet Watford in the FA Cup on Saturday before returning to league action with a home match against Brighton on Wednesday, 31 January.
Tottenham are away to Newport in the FA Cup on Saturday, before playing Manchester United at home on Wednesday, 31 January.
Line-ups
Southampton
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 13McCarthy
- 2Cédric Soares
- 5StephensBooked at 48mins
- 6Hoedt
- 21Bertrand
- 14RomeuBooked at 60mins
- 18LeminaSubstituted forDavisat 80'minutes
- 16Ward-Prowse
- 23HøjbjergSubstituted forBoufalat 65'minutes
- 11Tadic
- 20GabbiadiniSubstituted forObafemiat 82'minutes
Substitutes
- 8Davis
- 19Boufal
- 22Redmond
- 26Pied
- 35Bednarek
- 44Forster
- 61Obafemi
Tottenham
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 13Vorm
- 24AurierSubstituted forTrippierat 72'minutesBooked at 78mins
- 6D Sánchez
- 5Vertonghen
- 33Davies
- 15Dier
- 19DembéléBooked at 75minsSubstituted forWanyamaat 85'minutes
- 17SissokoBooked at 57mins
- 20Alli
- 7Son Heung-minSubstituted forLamelaat 70'minutes
- 10Kane
Substitutes
- 2Trippier
- 11Lamela
- 12Wanyama
- 18Llorente
- 21Foyth
- 22Gazzaniga
- 37Walker-Peters
- Referee:
- Kevin Friend
- Attendance:
- 31,361
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home41%
- Away59%
- Shots
- Home10
- Away17
- Shots on Target
- Home4
- Away2
- Corners
- Home2
- Away9
- Fouls
- Home8
- Away15
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Southampton 1, Tottenham Hotspur 1.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Dele Alli (Tottenham Hotspur) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Moussa Sissoko with a cross.
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Attempt missed. Victor Wanyama (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Moussa Sissoko.
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Foul by Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur).
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Oriol Romeu (Southampton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Attempt missed. Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur) left footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Dele Alli.
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Corner, Tottenham Hotspur. Conceded by Cédric Soares.
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Attempt blocked. Erik Lamela (Tottenham Hotspur) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Moussa Sissoko.
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Attempt blocked. Sofiane Boufal (Southampton) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Dusan Tadic.
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Foul by Davinson Sánchez (Tottenham Hotspur).
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Dusan Tadic (Southampton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Attempt missed. Cédric Soares (Southampton) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right.
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Attempt missed. Michael Obafemi (Southampton) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Dusan Tadic.
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Foul by Dele Alli (Tottenham Hotspur).
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Oriol Romeu (Southampton) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Substitution
Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Victor Wanyama replaces Mousa Dembélé.
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Attempt missed. Erik Lamela (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from very close range is close, but misses to the right.
Substitution
Substitution, Southampton. Michael Obafemi replaces Manolo Gabbiadini.
Post update
Offside, Tottenham Hotspur. Harry Kane tries a through ball, but Dele Alli is caught offside.
Comments
Join the conversation
I'm witnessing possibly the worst arsenal team in (certainly my) living memory, and rightfully gets lambasted. This Tottenham sides gets plaudits from pundits and writers alike about their brilliant exciting football etc.
Then how come they're only 3 points ahead?
As for Dele.... to many touches and lost the ball far to often!
Fair play to Southampton tho...but if we (spurs) keep dropping points then top four is going to be difficult!
A "professional" journalist, local or not, would know when to capitalise and use proper punctuation. No doubt most readers here will treat your comment with the contempt it obviously warrants.
Thank you for your posts. Most amusing. In which country do you write for your local paper?
Fantasy Island, perhaps?
I admit I always find it most amusing when Spurs fans say things like.....
Arsenal have done nothing in the Premier League for years.
Let me tell you for your own good
'People who live in Glass Houses do not throw stones'
Tottenham have only won the league twice and not since 1961
"I’m just from the game at Wembley what a cracking game.
I thought Sanchez was unlucky to score an own goal.
Spurs can still the league. "
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What have you been taking???
The match never took place at Wembley!!!