SOUTHAMPTON 1 TOTTENHAM 1
REPORT & REACTION
TOTTENHAM caught a cold in the St Mary’s rain as Saints took the heat off the other Argentine Mauricio for another week.
Spurs came back from a midseason training camp in Spain with a flu bug which ruled out Hugo Lloris and Christian Eriksen – and left others looking sluggish. And although Harry Kane netted his 99th Premier League goal to cancel out an early own goal, off-colour Spurs will slip five points off the top-four pace if Liverpool win tonight and increase the risk of playing in the new White Hart Lane next season without Champions League football. Eric Dier predicted the “exciting” race for the top four will go down the final games on May 13.
But right now is not the time of year to be struggling for form and fitness with the next three league matches against Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal before two legs against Juventus.
“A few players were affected last week, but that is not an excuse,” said Mauricio Pochettino (left) on his return to St Mary’s. “Our performance wasn’t the best and we need to focus now on trying to improve.
“To be in the top four, we need to improve and increase our level. It is not an excuse. We drew not because we were tired or with some problems. It is a fair result.”
But not a good result for either side. Spurs missed the chance to go back into the top
four – and Mauricio Pellegrino’s Saints failed to climb out of the bottom three as they extended their winless streak to 11 matches.
But on a dank day, Southampton started brightly and deserved a 15th-minute lead when the sliding Davinson Sanchez sliced Ryan Bertrand’s low cross in off the post.
Their advantage lasted under three minutes – and Dier also hit the post during that time. From a Ben Davies corner, Kane climbed above a static Saints rearguard to nod home his 33rd goal for club and country this season – eight more than the home side have scored in all competitions.
Pochettino refused to comment on reports linking the club’s talisman with Real Madrid – but admitted they missed Eriksen.
“In possession we made a lot of mistakes that allowed them to create some chances and feel comfortable in the pitch,” he said. “It wasn’t our best version of us.”
Tottenham were left treading water in the rain – on and off the pitch. While rivals Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal are active in the transfer market, Pochettino said he was reluctant to spend.
The only player he has bought in the January window at Spurs is Dele Alli in 2015
“In the window, it will be difficult to add quality,” he said. “For some clubs it is easier, but it is not easy for us.
“I am very relaxed and calm, not concerned, I am happy with the squad we have. If something happens we may try to sign some players, but if not, it is not a problem.”
Dier said: “The race for the top four is as tight as it has ever been. It will go to the final game, 100 per cent.”