Spurs 5-2 Saints - report from Wembley

Team news

Mauricio Pochettino made two changes to the team that won at Burnley three days ago - Danny Rose came in for Ben Davies at left-back and Mousa Dembele started in midfield in place of Moussa Sissoko.

Key action

Goal: Spurs 1-0 Southampton – Harry Kane – 22mins
Unlike many matches at Wembley this season, it was quite an open game from the outset with the Saints looking to play which in turn gave us more freedom in possession. Kane poked into the side-netting at the near-post on six minutes before Fraser Forster pushed a 20-yard Eric Dier effort wide shortly after. Christian Eriksen then had a goal ruled out for offside but we weren’t to be denied on 22 minutes. An excellent run from Rose was brought to an end just outside the area by Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Eriksen whipped in the free-kick and Kane was there to nod home from six yards.

Chance: almost an own goal from Rose – 24mins
It was so nearly 1-1 moments after we took the lead. Birthday boy Hugo Lloris pushed away a drive from Boufal and Rose attempted to head the loose ball back to his keeper. But his pass was a touch high and went over Lloris, the skipper scrambling back and scooping the ball up off the post. At the other end, Eriksen’s low angled drive drifted just wide of Forster’s far upright.

 
Above: Harry Kane nods in the opening goal.

Goal: Spurs 2-0 Southampton – Harry Kane – 39mins
We were seeing plenty of the ball in offensive areas and it was no surprise when we doubled our lead with a goal which was magnificent in its creation. Eriksen received a pass from Dembele 30 yards out and found Dele, who turned away from his marker before slipping a superb ball inside right-back Jack Stephens for Son and his low cross was prodded in by Kane. And it was nearly 3-0 moments later when Kane delivered a wonderful early cross-field pass for Son, in on goal down the left channel, but Stephens did enough to put him off and the striker couldn’t get his shot away.

Goal: Spurs 3-0 Southampton – Dele – 49mins
The Saints had us on the back foot in the early minutes of the second half and should have reduced the deficit. Shane Long took advantage of Dier’s sliced back-pass and was in on goal, only to scuff a soft shot straight at Lloris, before Mario Lemina rattled a 20-yard drive against the woodwork. But in the blink of an eye, we’d extended our advantage with another fine goal. Eriksen’s long pass was eventually collected by Dele in the left channel and he drifted inside Oriol Romeu before curling a low shot past Forster’s despairing dive and into the bottom corner.

Goal: Spurs 4-0 Southampton – Heung-min Son - 51mins
Just two minutes later it was effectively game over as we added a fourth with a blistering counter-attack. Nathan Redmond inexplicably played the ball straight to Dele inside our half, he burst forwards and laid a perfectly-weighted pass to Son who drilled across Forster and into the net. We were playing some excellent football and looked like making it five when Rose hit a superb crossfield ball for Kane, his right-foot volley from 12 yards fizzing just wide.

Goal: Spurs 4-1 Southampton – Sofiane Boufal – 64mins
The visitors pulled one back on 64 minutes when Davinson Sanchez’s headed clearance was nodded towards Boufal by Long and the Saints' midfielder took one touch before firing a low shot which Lloris got down to but couldn’t keep out.

Goal: Spurs 5-1 Southampton – Harry Kane – 67mins
We quickly restored our four-goal lead though! Son won possession back down the left flank and we were countering again, the South Korean international playing a pass in to Dele, who in turn delivered another inch-perfect ball for Kane. He strode into the area, dummied a shot which deceived defender Maya Yoshida and Forster and then clipped the ball over the goalkeeper to complete his hat-trick. At the other end, we needed a superb defensive intervention from Jan Vertonghen to prevent Long from converting substitute Manolo Gabbiadini’s low cross.

Goal – Spurs 5-2 Southampton – Dusan Tadic – 82mins
The goals just kept coming and this time it was the visitors who netted again. Lloris made a fine save to keep out Hojbjerg, from the resulting corner, the goalkeeper punched clear but only as far as substitute Tadic, who returned the ball over Lloris and into the net. There were moments of danger at either end in the closing minutes, but no further addition to the scoreline as we concluded 2017 with a fine win.

Mauricio Pochettino said

"The first half was fantastic. We played so well. In the second half after it went to 4-0 we started to drop a little in our focus and allowed them to score and then it was so open, a lot of transitions, it should have finished 7-4! It was a fantastic game. I'm happy with the three points and with Harry Kane's achievement. It's a massive achievement, to break the Premier League record of Alan Shearer and score more goals for the team and country (56 goals) than Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo is amazing.

Dele said

"It was a strong performance all over the pitch - we're disappointed to concede the goals but it was a fantastic display and every player did well. It's enjoyable when you play like that, getting on the ball, creating space for each other and everyone's playing the passes. It was a really enjoyable game for us, a great performance."

Man of the match

Once again it was hat-trick hero Harry Kane who was named Man of the Match, with 86 per cent of supporters' votes on social media.

Match data

Spurs (4-2-3-1): Lloris (c), Aurier, Sanchez, Vertonghen, Rose, Dier, Dembele (Sissoko 54), Eriksen, Dele (Winks 84), Son (Lamela 76), Kane. Substitutes (not used): Vorm, Trippier, Davies, Llorente.

Southampton (4-4-2) Forster, Stephens, Yoshida (c), Hoedt, Targett (McQueen 76), Redmond (Tadic 63), Romeu, Lemina (Gabbiadini 63), Boufal, Højbjerg, Long. Substitutes: McCarthy, Davis, Ward-Prowse, Pied.

Goals: Spurs – Kane 22, 39, 67, Dele 49, Son 51; Southampton – Boufal 64, Tadic 82

Yellow cards: Southampton – Hojbjerg, Long.

Referee: Graham Scott.

Attendance: 57,297.