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Southampton vs Tottenham: Player ratings and analysis as Antonio Conte bemoans Spurs’ missed opportunity

Southampton vs Tottenham Player ratings and analysis as Antonio Conte bemoans Spurs missed opportunity
Spurs had a man advantage for more than 45 minutes but were unable to capitalise against Southampton

Southampton 1-1 Tottenham (Ward-Prowse 25′, Kane 41′ pen)

Antonio Conte has yet to experience defeat in the Premier League since taking charge of Tottenham, but the overwhelming feeling for the Italian was one of disappointment after his side failed to overcome a Southampton side reduced to 10 men before half-time.

When Mohammed Salisu was dismissed after conceding the 39th minute penalty that allowed Harry Kane to cancel out James Ward-Prowse’s opening goal, the balance of the game inevitably shifted in Spurs’s favour, presenting Conte’s side with a chance to strengthen their challenge to break into the top four.

They fell short however, denied by Southampton’s obstinate defending, the intervention of VAR to deny Kane a second goal, and referee Anthony Taylor’s decision that Fraser Forster, the Saints keeper, was fouled before he spilled the ball into his own goal. In the end it was Ralph Hasenhuttl offered the more upbeat reaction to the game while the fact Conte became the first Tottenham manager to remain unbeaten in his opening seven league games provided limited consolation for the Spurs boss.

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“My demands are very high because I am used to being competitive and to win, and for sure for me there is a big disappointment when we don’t win,” said Conte, conceded his side’s failure to secure victory was due to a combination of his own side’s limitations and Southampton’s impressive defensive effort after Salisu’s dismissal.

“I understand also the situation now for sure we have to work a lot and it won’t be easy to fight for something this season. We need to improve a lot.”

Player ratings

Southampton

  • Forster – 6
  • Valery – 7
  • Bednarek – 7
  • Salisu – 4
  • Walker-Peters – 7
  • S. Armstrong – 6
  • Ward-Prowse – 8
  • Diallo – 6
  • Perraud – 7
  • Long – 7
  • A. Armstrong – 8

Subs:

  • Broja – 6
  • Redmond – 6

Tottenham

  • Lloris – 6
  • Sanchez – 6
  • Dier – 7
  • Davies – 7
  • Emerson – 6
  • Winks – 8
  • Hojbjerg – 6
  • Reguilon – 5
  • Alli – 5
  • Kane – 7
  • Son – 6

Subs:

  • Doherty – 6
  • Moura – 6
  • Gil – 6

Hasenhuttl’s side had started the game on the front foot and were rewarded when Ward-Prowse scored for a third successive game. The midfielder gave he home side a 25th minute lead when he directed a powerful shot past Hugo Lloris after Dele Alli failed to deal with Salisu’s long throw.

Southampton’s focus shifted, however, when Salisu clumsily tripped Son Heung-min after allowing the Tottenham forward to run behind him, to earn a second yellow card and concede the penalty that was expertly converted by Kane.

From that moment, momentum was with the visitors. Kane thought he had forced the lead in the 53rd minute when he finished superbly after collecting Harry WInk’s floated through ball only for VAR to rule the forward was offside.

And Tottenham suffered more frustration in the 67th minute when Forster failed to collect Winks’s looping cross cleanly while under pressure from Matt Doherty, the Spurs substitute. The keeper was unconvincing in the way he attempted to catch the ball but referee Anthony Taylor adjudged Forster had been fouled. “I don’t want to comment on this decision or situation,” said Conte. “There is the referee and the VAR. We have to accept the decision.”

Southampton stood firm in the face of late pressure and Hasenhuttl said: “When you play nearly 60 minutes with one men down two days after a very hard game and then you see the boys fighting, there’s no chance to be more proud than today, especially after a very intensive first half.”

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