Spurs bounce back with comfortable win

Tottenham cruised to a 5-0 win away at Southampton on Sunday evening.

Spurs scored all five of their goals in the first half, taking the lead inside the first minute through James Maddison.

Captain Heung-Min Son got on the scoresheet 10 minutes later, before Dejan Kulusevski added a third just two minutes after that.

There was even more misery for Southampton when Pape Matar Sarr scored a neat goal to make it 4-0, and then Maddison got his brace on the stroke of half-time.

Read on to see how the match unfolded on the South Coast.

A five-star display ⭐ pic.twitter.com/ZaE7CS5ynE

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) December 15, 2024

How it happened

The visitors made their intentions clear from the outset, taking the lead inside 45 seconds.

Spence’s surging run and perfectly timed through ball found Maddison, who calmly slotted past Alex McCarthy to open the scoring.

It was Tottenham’s fastest Premier League goal since 2018, and it set the tone for the carnage that followed.

Southampton barely had time to regroup before Spurs struck again in the 12th minute.

Maddison’s pinpoint cross found Son at the back post, and the Tottenham captain lashed home to double the advantage.

Moments later, Son turned provider, delivering a low cross into the box.

Although Solanke was denied by Jan Bednarek’s sliding challenge, Kulusevski was on hand to tap in the rebound and make it 3-0.

James Maddison that is just ridiculous. pic.twitter.com/n6KJmBsKE6

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) December 15, 2024

Southampton’s defence was in tatters, and Spurs capitalised further in the 25th minute.

Sarr latched onto Son’s pass, danced past Wood, and slotted home Tottenham’s fourth. Southampton fans could only watch in despair as the relentless visitors continued to dominate.

The first half ended fittingly with Maddison grabbing his second goal of the game in stoppage time.

Son’s delightful clipped pass found Maddison in the box, and the playmaker expertly cut inside before firing into the far corner to complete the first-half rout.

The Saints, to their credit, tried to salvage some pride in the second half, creating several chances through Adam Armstrong and the lively Dom Ballard.

However, Fraser Forster, returning to his former club, was equal to their efforts, making crucial saves to preserve his clean sheet.

Southampton struggled to break through a resolute Spurs defence, while the visitors came close to adding a sixth, with substitute Brennan Johnson narrowly missing the target from Timo Werner’s cross late on.

The victory marks Tottenham’s largest away win under Postecoglou and their first-ever five-goal first half in the Premier League.

For Southampton, it was a humbling night that highlighted the gap between them and the league’s top sides.