LIVE: No Eriksen as Spurs host Southampton

Published on: 21 January 2018

Tottenham Hotspur missed the chance to go above Liverpool in the Premier League table as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Southampton at St Mary's.

Saints took the lead early in the first half via a Davinson Sanchez own goal, only for Harry Kane to equalise three minute later with his 99th Premier League goal.

Kane was unable to bring up his century, and Spurs were denied the opportunity to move into the top four on goal difference ahead of Liverpool's trip to Swansea on Monday night. Southampton, meanwhile, remain in the relegation zone.

Mauricio Pellegrino's side, without a win in 10 league games, started brightly with Ryan Bertrand getting the better of Serge Aurier down the right flank. The England left-back fired a low ball across the face of goal on 15 minutes which the sliding Sanchez turned past Michel Vorm, in the Spurs goal for the ill Hugo Lloris, and in off the near post.

The home crowd had barely finished celebrating a goal that temporarily lifted them out of the bottom three, however, before they saw the visitors equalise from a corner.

Kane, beginning the game two goals shy of his Premier League century, lost marker Jack Stephens all too easily and had a free run to head home the set piece for his fifth goal in his three games.

Tottenham were also missing Christian Eriksen who, like Lloris, was ruled out with illness, and Mauricio Pochettino's side were unable to take control of the game. Indeed, it was Southampton who were creating the clearer chances. Mario Lemina fired over the bar and sent another tame effort right at Vorm either side of James Ward-Prowse's inch-perfect free kick from deep on the right being headed wide by Stephens with the keeper rooted to the spot.

Soon after half-time, Ward-Prowse had a strike from range easily stopped by Vorm before Dele Alli struck wide and Kane's low shot was blocked en route to goal by Stephens.

In search of the three points, Pellegrino turned to 17-year-old Michael Obafemi, and the teenager substitute almost had a debut to remember when an 87th-minute pass was flashed across goal but he was unable to connect.

Kane had one last chance to settle the match as the five minutes of added time approached, but his low effort was fired across the six-yard box and wide.

Source: espn.co.uk

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