Southampton vs Tottenham - as it happened: Dele Alli brace helps fire Spurs to impressive fight back

Re-live all the action from St Mary's

Harry Kane puts Spurs ahead with his headed effort (Getty)

Key information...

Kick-off time: 19:45, Wednesday 28th December 2016

TV: Live on Sky Sports 1

Follow the live action below...

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It’s a big game for...

Harry Kane: The England striker has failed to find the net in his last three Premier League games. Failing to reach the heights of last season, where he was the top scorer in the league, he now finds himself languishing six goals off Diego Costa as we edge towards the halfway point of the season.

Best stat...

11: Southampton’s 2-1 victory at White Hart Lane last season was the first time the Saints’ have beaten Spurs for 11 years.

Remember when...

The last time these two teams faced each other on the south coast, Kane scored this wonderful solo effort to put the visitors in front before Dele Alli doubled their lead to give Tottenham a 2-0 win.

Player to watch...

Jay Rodriguez: Returning from his serious knee injury back in October, Rodriguez has found it hard to keep himself in the Southampton setup since. However, after a brace in his last game against Bournemouth and with Charlie Austin set for a spell on the sidelines due to injury, Spurs will have to keep an eye on the dynamic forward.

Past three meetings...

Tottenham 1 (Son Heung-min) Southampton 2 (Davis 2), Premier League, May 2016

Southampton 0, Tottenham 2 (Kane, Alli), Premier League, December 2015

Southampton 2 (Pelle 2) Tottenham 2 (Lamela, Chadli), Premier League, April 2015

Tottenham need to win after falling 13 points behind leaders Chelsea (Getty)

Form guide...

Southampton: WLDWDW

Tottenham: LWWLWW

Odds...

Southampton win: 19/10

Tottenham to win: 13/8

Draw: 23/10

(Odds provided by BetVictor)

[28 December 2016 17:43 · Samuel Lovett]

Good evening and welcome to the Independent's live coverage of Southampton vs Tottenham. We'll be bringing you the latest updates and goals from the game at St Mary's so make sure to stay tuned! Team news and build-up from 6.45pm onward.

[28 December 2016 18:48 · Samuel Lovett]

The teams are in!

[28 December 2016 18:55 · Samuel Lovett]

Four changes for Southampton. Jose Fonte returns to replace Maya Yoshida at centre-back while youngster James Ward-Prowse, Oriol Romeu and Steven Davis are all handed starts under Claude Puel.

[28 December 2016 18:57 · Samuel Lovett]

Just the one change for Spurs, with Mousa Dembele stepping for Harry Winks.

[28 December 2016 19:00 · Samuel Lovett]

So what have the gaffers had to say for themselves ahead of today's game? 

Well, Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino spoke rather flatteringly of Southampton striker Jay Rodriguez after his goals against Bournemouth: "I was very happy. I sent him a text.

"I was happy to see him on the pitch again. He suffered a very bad injury and I remember, fresh in my mind, that day at Manchester City.

Pochettino during Spurs' last game against Burnley 

"He's a top player, a top man and we were happy to see him score against Bournemouth.

"Now though we will suffer him because he will be our enemy and our opponent."

[28 December 2016 19:06 · Samuel Lovett]

And Southampton boss Claude Puel returned the favour, praising Spurs keeper Hugo Lloris.

"He's an important player for Tottenham because he is clinical every time, he will make saves in every game," said Puel.

"The most important player at Tottenham, he has a good level, good quality, character, and he's a good captain.

Hugo Lloris 

"He was my player at Lyon and I gave him the role of captain, He was a young player but always an important player. It was important for Tottenham to keep him with a new contract.

"I made him captain because he sets an example, inside and outside the ground. He gives good words, good sentences about the game. He always recognises the situation. It's a good thing for a trainer to have a player like him."

[28 December 2016 19:23 · Samuel Lovett]

"Two and a half years on since Mauricio Pochettino was brought to Tottenham, the Argentine returns to St Mary’s on Wednesday with his Spurs side. Tottenham are just three places ahead of Saints, but they are nine points clear and are preparing for this season’s assault on the Champions League places. The story of the two teams since Pochettino left has been the story of one side who can keep the people it wants at the club and one side who cannot."

Some words from our man Jack Pitt-Brooke who will be writing tonight's match report from St Mary's. Take a read of his preview to this evening's game:

[28 December 2016 19:42 · Samuel Lovett]

Right, here we go folks! The players are out on the pitch shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries. Three minutes until kick-off!

[28 December 2016 19:45 · Samuel Lovett]

1 min: And that's the whistle! We're under way!

[28 December 2016 19:46 · Samuel Lovett]

GOAL! Southampton 1-0 Tottenham (2 min, Van Dijk):

What a start for the home side! Barely 30 seconds in and Spurs had conceded a free-kick in a dangerous area to the left-hand side of their box. It was whipped in the centre of the penalty area where Virgil van Dijk rose majestically to guide the ball into the back of the net with a wonderfully controlled header. 1-0!