Kane strikes but Spurs drop points

Southampton stay in bottom three

SOUTHAMPTON, United Kingdom, Jan 21, (AFP): Harry Kane struck his 99th Premier League goal to earn Tottenham a 1-1 draw at St Mary’s on Sunday after Davinson Sanchez’s own goal had given Southampton an early lead.

The result moves Spurs closer to Liverpool in fourth place but it was not enough to lift Southampton out of the relegation zone.

Kane’s goal was his ninth in his past five Premier League starts and he is now just a goal away from becoming the 27th member of the ‘100 Club’.

But with Mauricio Pochettino’s

Swansea vs Liverpool beIN

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for Virgil Van Dijk has yet been invested, with just 10 days left of the transfer window.

Abdoulaye Doucoure’s controversial last-minute equaliser for Watford denied Saints two precious points last weekend and pressure is growing on the Southampton manager, who has been the target of fans’ frustrations in recent weeks.

Southampton’s Serbian midfielder Dusan Tadic (left), vies with Tottenham Hotspur’s English midfielder Dele Alli (right), during the English Premier League football match between Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur at St Mary’s Stadium in Southampton, southern England on

Jan 21. (AFP)

Fortunes could hardly be more different for Spurs, managed by former Saints boss Pochettino.

He has never lost a game at St Mary’s since leaving the south coast and his team came into this fixture unbeaten in their past five Premier League matches.

Flu struck both teams in the buildup, with Southampton missing Shane Long and Tottenham without Hugo Lloris and Christian Eriksen.

Southampton started brightly, pressing Tottenham in a style they themselves have become known for.

Manolo Gabbiadini, making only his second start in 14 games, almost connected with Dusan Tadic’s low cross after James Ward-Prowse had found him with an excellent longrange pass.

Tadic again showed his threat down the left when another sweeping move saw Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg almost apply the finishing touch to the Serbian’s excellent cross.

Southampton took a deserved lead in the 15th minute when Sanchez deflected past his goalkeeper Michel Vorm after being tempted by Ryan Bertrand’s low cross from the left.

Spurs almost levelled two minutes later when Ben Davies’s corner eventually dropped to Eric Dier and he shot low against the right post.

But Kane moved onto 99 in the Premier League as he headed in Davies’s next corner, beating two Southampton defenders to the ball to score from close range just 197 seconds after Sanchez’s own goal.

Both teams continued to press, making for an attractive game in appalling conditions.

Spurs were close to taking the lead with Davies again the provider, this time for Moussa Sissoko, who volleyed his cross just wide.

Jack Stephens should perhaps have put Southampton back in front but he headed over the bar after finding himself unmarked from WardProwse’s excellent free-kick.

The rain relented but the intensity of the game did not in the second half. Pochettino’s side did not have things all their own way, with Southampton maintaining their highpressure approach.

PWDL