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Southampton earned a well-deserved point in their Premier League fixture against Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday. First-half goals from James Ward-Prowse and Harry Kane ensured the spoils were shared in the 1-1 draw at St. Mary's Stadium.
The hosts made six changes to their squad after the 3-0 win at Crystal Palace. They had one eye on their home game against Newcastle United on Saturday. Antonio Conte made three changes to the Spurs starting XI.
Ward-Prowse gave the Saints the lead in the 25th-minute thanks to a well-taken shot from inside the box. The ball fell kindly for the midfielder following a long throw into the box.
The joy was short-lived, though, as Mohammed Salisu brought down Son Hueng-Min inside the box. He was shown the marching orders for his second booking of the game. Harry Kane dispatched the ball with confidence into the back of the net.
Southampton's resistance and a good offside call from VAR ensured Tottenham weren't able to make the most of their numerical advantage.
Tottenham Hotspur slipped one place down in the league standings with a stalemate.
Here we take a look at the five talking points from the game.
#5 Fraser Forster narrowly escapes humiliation
Fraser Forster was a busy man tonight. The numerical disadvantage after Salisu's dismissal meant that Tottenham could have a go at the goal and they did.
Spurs recorded 21 shots on goal with 11 of them on target. Forster managed to repel almost everything and made 10 saves throughout the game. This was the most in a single Premier League game for the English goalkeeper.
While he had a solid outing throughout the game, he almost gifted the visitors a lead. He fumbled Harry Wink's cross into his own net under little to no challenge from Matt Doherty.
The goal was ruled out after Anthony Taylor deemed Doherty's challenge for the ball a foul. Had the goal stood, it would've given Tottenham a decisive lead and undid his efforts between the sticks.
#4 James Ward-Prowse stuns Tottenham with a thumping goal
James Ward-Prowse gave the hosts an early lead in the 25th-minute with a cracking first-time finish. The club captain continued his good form in this game as he scored for the third game running. His goal helped them earn crucial points yet again.
He is the club's leading goalscorer in the English top-flight this term with five goals to his name. He was Southampton's best outfield player on the pitch tonight and continues to step up for the Saints.
#3 Harry Kane starting to regain confidence and form in front of the goal
Harry Kane did not have an outstanding outing for Tottenham against Southampton. However, his well-taken penalty helped the visiting side take home a point from the game.
It was just the fourth goal of the campaign for the English striker but the third in as many Premier League games. He recorded two shots on target. He could've added another goal to his name, if not for VAR ruling out his 53rd-minute effort offside.
Son has done much of the heavy lifting in the final third for Tottenham this season. He was their best player on the pitch again as he created three key passes tonight and also earned the penalty.
Kane's return to form bodes well for the London-based club. The striker's goals could prove crucial in their campaign for a top-four finish going forward.
#2 VAR controversy, yet again
Tottenham Hotspur were denied a winning goal not once but twice in the second half. VAR disallowed Harry Kane's smart finish in the 53rd minute for offside. At first glance, there seemed to be nothing wrong with the goal.
Kane received a great pass from Harry Winks and with a deft first touch got away from the Southampton defenders. Full of confidence from the first goal, the English striker struck the ball from the edge of the penalty area.
Everyone thought the comeback was complete. But a referral to VAR eventually led to the goal being disallowed with Kane's left arm slightly behind Southampton's defensive line.
VAR remains a contentious issue in the Premier League. It remains to be seen how it can be refined further to give accurate verdicts in the future.
#1 Antonio Conte becomes first Tottenham Hotspur manager to remain undefeated in first seven league games
Antonio Conte has seemingly got things under control at Tottenham Hotspur and has helped revive their top-four charge this season. It was a disappointing draw for the visiting side, as they failed to build on their first-half equalizer against a 10-men hosts. But they extended their unbeaten run in the Premier League to seven games.
The stalemate saw them drop a place in the league standings from fifth to sixth. This is because their London rivals West Ham United emerged as the winners against Watford. However, Conte will be content with this result in which Kane scored his third goal in as many league games.
He also became the first Tottenham Hotspur manager to have remained unbeaten in his first seven league games in the Premier League era. This record can be extended as they face Watford in their upcoming league outing on Saturday.
