Southampton made a bit of unwanted history on Sunday, as they became the quickest side to ever be relegated from the Premier League (7 games remaining) after losing 3-1 away to Tottenham Hotspur.
WATCH – Tottenham Hotspur v Southampton full match replay
Saints (20th place - 10 points) have won just twice in the PL this season and have picked up just one point from their last seven games, in a 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace on Wednesday. Ivan Muric’s side still needs two more points to avoid finishing the season with the fewest in a PL season (11, by Derby County in 2007-08). Southampton are also on pace for a PL-record 30 defeats.
Brennan Johnson scored twice in the first half, taking his tally to 11 goals on the season (club high), and Spurs (13th - 37 points), though they failed to keep what would have been just their second clean in 15 games (since beating Southampton 5-0 back on Dec. 15) with some half-hearted defending in the 90th minute. Mateus Fernandes a goal back for Saints and gave the visitors brief hopes of a respite, but Mathys Tel restored the two-goal advantage from the penalty spot in stoppage time, his first PL goal after joining on loan from Bayern Munich in January.
Still, the entire season, and perhaps Ange Postecoglou’s job, rides on the Europa League where Spurs are set to take on Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt in the quarterfinals beginning on Thursday (first leg at home).
Another cautionary tale of “trying to play good football”
So you’ve just been promoted to the Premier League from the Championship and you got here by playing fun, open, attacking football. First of all, congrats because the Championship is anything but easy. Secondly, however, maybe you want to consider some sort of a tactical tweak once you’re competing in the best league in the world. As the gap between the 17th and 18th-to-23rd-best sides in England widens with each passing season, it become more and more unwise to take the risks associated with playing possession football and passing the ball out of the back with regularity. Of course, it’s commendable that you have an identity and self-belief to execute it, but when it doesn’t go right? You might end up with two wins, 10 points and a -51 goal difference after 31 games. Even if it goes somewhat according to plan on the possession side, who’s to say you won’t concede 78 goals and go right back down anyway, as Burnley did last season? It’s tough, because clearly there is no right (or easy) answer, but the last sides to come up and establish themselves in the PL were Brentford and Bournemouth, who first defended like rabid dogs for multiple seasons before building marginally more potent attacks.
Player ratings - Tottenham Hotspur vs Southampton
What’s next?
Tottenham Hotspur vs Eintracht Frankfurt — Thursday, 3 pm ET (Europa League QF)
Southampton vs Aston Villa — Saturday, 10 am ET
Wolves vs Tottenham Hotspur — Sunday, 9 am ET
Tottenham Hotspur vs Southampton live updates - by Andy Edwards
Tottenham Hotspur vs Southampton final score: 3-1
Goalscorers: Brennan Johnson (13', 42'), Mateus Fernandes (90'), Mathys Tel (90'+6 - PK)
GOAL! Spurs 3-1 Southampton: Tel gets his first PL goal from the penalty spot (90'+6)
GOAL! Spurs 2-1 Southampton: Fernandes slots home at the back post (90')
GOAL! Spurs 2-0 Southampton: Johnson touches home his second of the game (42')
OFFSIDE! Bergvall’s goal disallowed after 4.5-minute VAR check (33')
Semi-automated offside decisions will begin in the Premier League next weekend.
GOAL! Spurs 1-0 Southampton: Johnson smashes home Spence’s cross (13')
Tottenham Hotspur starting lineup
Vicario - Porro, Romero, Davies, Spence - Bentancur, Bergvall, Maddison - Johnson, Son, Solanke
Southampton starting lineup
Ramsdale - Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Aribo - Walker-Peters, Ogochukwu, Fernandes, Manning - Dibling, Sulemana, Archer
How to watch Tottenham Hotspur vs Southampton live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 9am ET Sunday
Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium — North London
TV Channel: Peacock
Streaming: Stream live on Peacock
Saints will go down this weekend with a loss to Spurs after Wolves won at Ipswich Town on Saturday, a loss that would make them the fastest team to be relegated in Premier League history by number of remaining matches. They’re also hopeful not to carry another historic mark, as they’ve lost 24 times in league play and are on pace to be the first Premier League club to lose 30 times in a season. Southampton manager Ivan Juric saw his team draw at home to Crystal Palace at midweek. Their 10th point of the Premier League season has them two away from moving ahead of Derby County’s record for the fewest points in a Premier League season (11, set in 2007-08).
Spurs’ 16 losses through 30 matches is their worst-ever mark from the start of a Premier League season, and manager Ange Postecoglou has gone from club darling to controversial lightning rod with his words and actions over a rough run of results. Tottenham went on a seven-match winless run around the new year before winning three-straight in February but have gone right back to losing ways. Spurs have taken one point from 12 — losses to Man City, Fulham, and Chelsea plus a home draw with Bournemouth.
Spurs are 14th on the table and could be 16th by the end of the weekend should Everton and West Ham get positive results. It’s a miserable time in North London, and losing the 20th-place team at home would be brutal.
Tottenham Hotspur team news, focus
OUT: Dejan Kulusevski (foot), Radu Dragusin (torn ACL - out for season), Kevin Danso (hamstring) | QUESTIONABLE: Richarlison (lower leg)
Southampton team news, focus
OUT: Will Smallbone (groin), Flynn Downes (suspended) | QUESTIONABLE: Ross Stewart (fitness), Juan Larios (fitness)
Tottenham Hotspur vs Southampton prediction
