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As it happenedended

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

Samuel Lovett
Wednesday 28 December 2016 12:01 GMT
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Harry Kane puts Spurs ahead with his headed effort
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
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)

5 min: Tottenham with their own free-kick from the right-hand side flank. Eriksen pumps it in but it's cleared by the first line of defence. Spurs recycle and it eventually falls to Kane who lets loose with a fizzing shot from the left... but it zips up and over the bar into the crowd behind.

Samuel Lovett28 December 2016 19:50

8 min: Rodriguez gets slotted in behind the Tottenham defence and from the right tries his luck with a low-driven shot. It's a tame effort though as the ball flashes across the goal before running out for a goal-kick.

Samuel Lovett28 December 2016 19:54

11 min: Saints showing real appetite here as they continue to bomb forward, putting the Spurs defence under serious strain. Boufal picks up possession on the right, drifts inwards to the box and bids to take it round Walker but is forced to recycle. It's subsequently switched to the left but Wanayama is on hand to stop Redmond progressing any further. Pochettino's men are really up against it at the moment. Pleasing stuff from Southampton.

Samuel Lovett28 December 2016 19:56

15 min: Yellow card for Mousa Dembele after his foul on Romeu on the right. James Ward-Prowse delivers but Spurs make a better effort of dealing with the free-kick this time as Dier nods the danger clear.

Samuel Lovett28 December 2016 20:00

16 min: Chance for Southampton! In another high-tempo movement from the home side, Redmond is set up on the right-flank and drives toward goal forward before lashing at the ball with a powerful low-driven shot. It zips across the face of the goal and is well out of reach of Lloris but just can't find the back of the net. Splendid effort though.

Samuel Lovett28 December 2016 20:04

GOAL! Southampton 1-1 Tottenham (Dele Alli, 19 min):

Out of nothing, Tottenham are back in this following their tepid start to the game. It was a well-worked passage of play that set up Sissoko in acres of space down near the left-hand side byline and without a defender in sight. With a curling delivery into the box he picked out the rising Dele Alli who leapt above Van Dijk to nod the ball into the back of the net. Bread-and-butter stuff from Spurs.

Samuel Lovett28 December 2016 20:04

24 min: Spurs enjoying more of a say on the game now as Rose bids to break in behind the Southampton defence from the left-hand side touchline. He's stopped in his tracks with a firm challenge by Soares.

Samuel Lovett28 December 2016 20:09

Going back to Van Dijk's opener, that was the fourth fastest goal scored this season:

1. Pedro - 30 seconds

2. Capoue - 33 seconds

3. Austin - 41 seconds

4. VAN DIJK - 69 seconds

Samuel Lovett28 December 2016 20:11

28 min: After a pulsating 20 minutes, Tottenham are really looking to stamp their authority on the game as they calmly stroke the ball about the centre of the park. Saints have sat back now, affording the visitors plenty of space to dictate procedures. The opportunity to pounce eventually arises and the ball is pumped in from the right but takes a deflection to roll out for a corner kick. Dier delivers...and it's cleared with ease. Time for Saints to breathe.

Samuel Lovett28 December 2016 20:14

31 min: Another corner after Eriksen's tame effort from just outside the box takes a nick on its way out. Dier sets up Rose outside the penalty area who eventually drifts the ball to the far right of the box but Saints hold strong to disrupt matters.

Samuel Lovett28 December 2016 20:17

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