Southampton v Tottenham: Spurs to seal St Mary's success

Mark O'Haire
20 January 2018

Spurs have led at both half-time and full-time in six of last eight Premier League games

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Southampton welcome Spurs to St Mary's in Super Sunday's sole Premier League showdown this weekend. Mark O'Haire previews the encounter.

"Tottenham have W10-D1-L0 in trips to teams occupying 13th and below since the beginning of last season, covering a one-goal handicap on eight occasions."

Southampton v Tottenham
Sunday 21st January, 16:00
Live on Sky Sports

Southampton squander more points

Southampton were denied a vital victory at Watford last weekend as they chucked away a two-goal advantage to draw 2-2 in controversial circumstances. Two goals from James Ward-Prowse had given the Saints a 2-0 lead at half-time but the draw leaves the South Coast side just one point above the drop zone.

Southampton's first-half showing did not fit with a team that began the day outside of the relegation zone only on goal difference. However, Mauricio Pellegrino's men were unable to stop the shift in momentum after the interval with the Saints now squandering 11 points from winning positions this season.

Super Sunday's hosts are now winless in 10 (W0-D5-L5) and will again be without Maya Yoshida and Charlie Austin. Jack Stephens should continue at the heart of the defence alongside Wesley Hoedt whilst Mario Lemina could come into the team if Pellegrino opts to bulk out his midfield.

Tottenham showing no mercy

Harry Kane become Tottenham's all-time Premier League goalscorer after he scored twice in Spurs' comfortable 4-0 rout of Everton last time out. Son Heung-min and Christian Eriksen also grabbed goals in a dominating display that saw Mauricio Pochettino's group remain just three points adrift of the top-four.

The Toffees had looked well-organised before conceding the opening goal and Tottenham displayed their ruthless streak thereafter, cutting lose and tearing the Merseysiders to pieces at Wembley. It's been a familiar theme from the Londoners of late with Spurs showing no mercy on teams shy on class and confidence.

Toby Alderweireld is back in training but the former Southampton defender is still some way from a first-team return. Meanwhile, Danny Rose and Harry Winks remain sidelined for the visitors with Pochettino likely to field the same XI that played against Everton here.

Spurs to seal maximum points

Since 2012/13, Southampton 6.005/1 have W1-D1-L9 in 11 Premier League meetings with Tottenham and remained winless in five (W0-D1-L4) St. Mary's fixtures against the North Londoners since returning to the top-flight in 2012.

Indeed, Saints have been poor when hosting top-six clubs since the start of last season, failing to succeed in eight encounters and managing only two goals across 12 hours of action in the same W0-D3-L5 sample.

Tottenham 1.674/6 have W10-D1-L0 in trips to teams occupying 13th and below since the beginning of last season, covering a one-goal handicap on eight occasions. Spurs also arrive having led at both half-time and full-time in six of last eight Premier League games (W6-D1-L1); their sole reverse coming away at Manchester City.

The Spurs-Spurs Half-Time/Full-Time option is attractive at 2.506/4 but the best play at St Mary's is to back the visitors in the Asian Handicap market with a -0.5/-1 hurdle at 1.845/6. This selection will return a half-stakes profit should the capital club win by exactly one-goal and a full-stakes pay-out should Tottenham triumph by two goals or more.

Over/Under 2.5 Goals

Southampton boast a solitary shutout in their last 14 fixtures and although 7/12 (58%) on home outings under Mauricio Pellegrino have returned Both Teams To Score winners, only 5/12 (52%) have featured more than two goals.

However, while Tottenham have silenced three of their four bottom-half hosts this term, the club has also scored at least three goals in seven (50%) of their last 14 visits to the same standard of opposition. Therefore, there's mileage in 1.845/6 quotes on Over 2.5 Goals banking again in Sunday's meeting.

Record-breaking Kane to notch again

Harry Kane's double last weekend made it eight goals in as many Premier League games for Spurs recently and the England international has now bagged 20 league goals this season - three more than any other player - and has hit 28 club goals in 28 appearances in all competitions.

What's more, the Spurs hitman has enjoyed playing Southampton in recent seasons, bagging a hat-trick against the Saints on Boxing Day, as well as notching in his last two trips to St Mary's. He's 4/5 to score again on Sunday.