The Independent

Tottenham Hotspur ran riot on the south coast with James Maddison on target twice to earn Ange Postecoglou a much-needed Premier League victory by a 5-0 score, which only increased the pressure on Southampton head coach Russell Martin.

Spurs were winless in five ahead of this clash at St Mary’s and without nine players, but scored three times inside 14 minutes.

Maddison started the rout after 36 seconds before captain Son Heung-min and Dejan Kulusevski struck in quick succession.

The Saints’ faithful could have been forgiven for getting flashbacks of the 9-0 loss to Leicester in 2019 and turned their anger on under-fire Martin.

Postecoglou’s men were not finished there, with Pape Sarr able to grab a fourth in the 25th minute before Maddison added another in first-half stoppage-time.

It failed to stop Tottenham’s noisy away support repeatedly calling for chairman Daniel Levy to leave the club, but this result – on the club’s first return to Southampton since Antonio Conte’s extraordinary rant in 2023 – moved them within four points of fifth-placed Manchester City.

This was a battle between two head coaches wedded to their attacking philosophy but in desperate need of a victory and Postecoglou handed first league starts to Djed Spence and teenager Lucas Bergvall.

Amid a poor run of form, discontent amongst the Tottenham fanbase had grown with frustration aimed at chairman Levy and chants for him to leave occurred immediately after kick-off.

However, 36 seconds later and Spurs’ travelling support had a goal to celebrate when Maddison fired them in front.

Spence was the architect as he twisted away from Flynn Downes and played through to Maddison, who fired under the fit-again Alex McCarthy in the Saints goal.

More chants of ‘Levy out’ followed before Tottenham made it 2-0 in the 12th minute.

Again Maddison was involved with his deep cross flicked on to Son at the back post and the Spurs captain rifled home his 13th goal against Southampton.

The home supporters had already turned on Martin by this stage, but worst followed two minutes later when the visitors grabbed a third.

Son’s cross was only partially cleared by Jan Bednarek and Kulusevski was first to the loose ball to fire home for 3-0.

It was turning into a nightmare experience for Martin with Southampton fans singing he would be ‘sacked in the morning’ and he responded by bringing off Kamaldeen Sulemana.

Sulemana was not happy and tried to engage with Martin on the touchline, but it failed to stem the tide as Tottenham claimed a fourth in the 25th minute.

More good work by Son saw him pass into Sarr, who twinkle-toed past substitute Nathan Wood and slid the ball home.

Postecoglou’s joy dampened slightly when left-back Destiny Udogie limped off before the hosts should have pulled one back five minutes before half-time but Adam Armstrong sent an effort wide following Ryan Manning’s cross.

A small section of Southampton supporters had already headed for the exit and Martin walked down the tunnel with a minute of first-half stoppage time left, which meant he missed Spurs’ fifth goal.

Son produced a sublime pass with the outside of his boot and Maddison cut inside Mateus Fernandes before he arrowed into the top corner.

It was Son’s last involvement as he was replaced at half-time with Thursday’s Carabao Cup last-eight tie with Manchester United in mind.

Armstrong fizzed an effort wide soon after for Saints but, predictably, the second half was played at a more pedestrian pace.

Kyle Walker-Peters, Wood and Tyler Dibling went close for Southampton before Mateus Fernandes headed in with 11 minutes left, but it was ruled out for offside as Tottenham consigned the league’s bottom club to a heavy loss.

Follow live coverage as Southampton face Tottenham Hotspur today in the Premier League. Another top-flight season will be covered in full right here with The Independent, as reigning champions Manchester City look to make it an unprecedented five titles in a row come the end of 2024/25.

The likes of Arsenal and Liverpool will be chasing Pep Guardiola's side, but just as fascinating will be the race for Champions League places, with more teams than ever before having designs on top-four finishes. Chelsea remain big-spending, Manchester United's latest rebuild continues and both Tottenham and Newcastle will expect improvements this year - yet it was Aston Villa who snared fourth last term.

Meanwhile, it's Southampton, Leicester City and Ipswich Town who made it back to the elite after promotion last year and each will have hope they can make it more than a one-year stay. Follow the latest live action from the Premier League below:

The Premier League will stage two 7pm kick-offs this Sunday evening when Chelsea host Brentford and Tottenham travel to Southampton.

Both matches were rescheduled to Sunday due to Chelsea and Tottenham’s participation in Europe on Thursday night - but supporters are unhappy with the evening kick-off slot.

The Premier League granted Chelsea permission to move their match to 7pm due to Enzo Maresca’s side making the eight-hour, 3,700-mile journey home from Almaty in the south of Kazakhstan on Thursday, following the 3-1 win over Astana in the Europa Conference League. Given the extraordinary lengths of Chelsea’s travel, the Premier League allowed the Blues additional time for recovery before hosting Brentford - even though Maresca was able to leave several first-team stars, such as Cole Palmer, at home.

Tottenham will also kick-off at the same time when Ange Postecoglou’s side go to Southampton. The meeting of Postecoglou and Russell Martin - in what promises to be an entertaining, high-wire clash of two attack-minded coaches, dubbed the ‘Principles of Play’ derby - was selected for live broadcast by TNT Sports.

However, with Spurs facing Rangers at Ibrox in the Europa League on Thursday night, the broadcaster’s usual 12:30pm kick-off slot on Saturday afternoon could not be used. And, as Sky Sports are already showing matches in their usual times of 2pm and 4:30pm on Sunday, TNT were left with 12pm and 7pm to choose from. As Chelsea were able to say they needed more preparation time after travelling back from Kazakhstan, Spurs could say that the 12pm option was not suitable due to their game in Glasgow.

The 7pm Sunday slot is unusual and was initially only introduced as a “contingency” option. It was used on an almost weekly basis during the 2020/21 Covid season, which was played behind closed doors and with every match on TV due to fans not being able to attend games, but the Football Supporters’ Association has warned that it is being turned to more and more. For instance, Manchester United’s trip to Fulham on Sunday 26 January has also been moved to 7pm. Another United away match, at Everton on the weekend of 22/23 February, may also be moved to Sunday night, depending on whether they are involved in a play-off for the Europa League knock-out rounds.

“The Sunday evening kick-off slot is really unpopular with match-goers as public transport options are limited and it’s no good for families with young kids,” an FSA spokesperson said. “When the general slot was announced the Premier League told us it was a ‘contingency’ - but it seems to be getting used an awful lot for such a provision.

“A big part of the problem is allowing broadcasters to choose ‘conditional’ picks which are then moved when a team progresses in Europe. The Premier League puts broadcasters first by allowing them to select such games knowing full well conditional picks are very likely to be rescheduled again.”

The rise of 7pm kick-offs can also be put down to the expansion of Uefa competitions this season. The increase of Champions League and Europa League fixtures, with two extra games in the initial league phase, has added to an already packed schedule for the top clubs who are starting to find that the Premier League are more receptive to offering more recovery time. There is now a “rest period” of at least 60 hours between games over the festive period, while teams who play away fixtures in the Champions League on a Wednesday night are now granted to play on Saturday evening rather than the 12:30pm slot famously opposed by former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, who called them a “crime”.

The clubs, though, naturally want more rest periods. Tottenham would have had 62 hours between playing at Ibrox and facing Southampton at St Mary’s, if the kick-off time on the Sunday was at 12pm. Manchester United would have been handed the same turnaround time next month between hosting Rangers and travelling to south London to meet Fulham, but they were also able to push their Sunday kick-off back to 7pm.

It will come as a cost to fans, with the last train back to Manchester leaving long before the full-time whistle is blown, although the club are set to subsidise coach travel. If that move signals an usual set of circumstances, it also feels as if this is the start of a normalisation of a wider trend.

The new Women's Super League marks the start of a new era for reigning champions Chelsea, with long-serving boss Emma Hayes having departed in summer to start a new adventure with the USA Women's team.

Last year they just about did enough to claim the title on goal difference ahead of Manchester City, while Arsenal will again hope to make it a three-horse race for the WSL title. Meanwhile Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham will hope to progress after further rebuilding this summer.

Crystal Palace were promoted to replace Bristol City in the top flight, while on a wider note, the league is now under the management and operation of a new organisation set up to lead women's football towards further growth and progression, with Nikki Doucet overseeing both the WSL and Championship in a new phase for the game.

Follow the live action below as Brighton & Hove Albion face Tottenham Hotspur today in the WSL:

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou recognises his squad are in the middle of an “extraordinary situation” but has urged them to set up a big second half of the season.

Spurs travel to Southampton on Sunday without nine players and after being forced to deep dig to earn a 1-1 draw at Rangers in the Europa League.

Thursday’s point in Glasgow keeps Tottenham in the mix to clinch a top-eight finish when their European campaign resumes in January, but Postecoglou’s immediate focus is on a crunch week for the club.

A trip to St Mary’s is followed by a midweek Carabao Cup quarter-final at home to Manchester United before Premier League leaders Liverpool visit on December 22.

While injury-hit Spurs have registered only one victory in their last eight matches, Postecoglou called on his depleted squad to embrace the challenge.

Postecoglou said: “I’m interested in what happens now. Now is the time we have an opportunity. In these next five games between now and new year we can set up our season.

“(Thursday) was a great point for us because it sets us up for Europe, so we know we’re going to (try to) make the knock-out stages.

“Now we have four league games to get ourselves back up the ladder and make an impact. We’ve got a massive Carabao Cup quarter-final to get to a semi-final. I’m not interested in anything else beyond that.

“It is an extraordinary situation we are in. Where we are squad-wise with the injuries we have and what we ask our players to do, these are extraordinary circumstances.

Tottenham’s list of nine absentees has put a strain on the rest of the squad, especially given Postecoglou’s relentless attacking philosophy.

Destiny Udogie tops Spurs’ list of minutes played this season ahead of Pedro Porro and Brennan Johnson. All three started at Rangers and produced mixed displays, but are likely to be included in Postecoglou’s starting line-up at Southampton.

Yet the Tottenham head coach explained why he will not tone down his front-foot style of play.

“How much do you dilute for the situation you’re in? I always think about these things,” Postecoglou reflected.

“What’s the long-term effect? It may relieve some short-term pain, but if that means that people lose belief and conviction in what we’re trying to do, because we have found an alternative path that alleviates that short-term stuff, I don’t think that’s healthy and get us where we want to.

“I have always, in difficult moments, thought that if you stick true to everything you’ve said from the first day and you get through it, then there is nothing holding you back.

“If you change paths, what’s to say players or even staff won’t then question further down the track, ‘well that worked back then let’s change, this doesn’t work, let’s change again’ and then you get into that cycle again. It’s a fine line.”

A dilemma for Postecoglou at Southampton is who replaces Yves Bissouma at the base of midfield. Lucas Bergvall appears in the driving seat to make a first Premier League start after strong cameos in the number six position against Chelsea and Rangers.

Postecoglou added: “I think he’s made a real impact in the last two games he has come on with his calmness and better understanding of the way we want to play.

“He has done really well and with Biss and Rodri (Bentancur) out, he is definitely in the picture for us to use at the weekend.”

Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou did not hold back with his criticism of forward Timo Werner after a 1-1 draw at Rangers in the Europa League.

Spurs arrived in Scotland without a plethora of first-team players and looked set for a third consecutive defeat when Hamza Igamane fired the hosts in front after 47 minutes to help a raucous atmosphere at Ibrox move up a notch.

Ex-Celtic boss Postecoglou had already made his first move at half-time with the introduction of Dejan Kulusevski for Werner after an error-strewn display.

Kulusevski would subsequently rescue a point for Tottenham when he rifled into the bottom corner in the 75th minute after being set up by fellow substitute Dominic Solanke.

A point for the Premier League outfit keeps them ninth in the league phase of the competition and in a strong position to secure a top-eight finish, which earns direct entry through to the last-16, but while Postecoglou called it an “important point,” he was frustrated with RB Leipzig loanee Werner.

“Yeah, just tactical. He wasn’t playing anywhere near the level he should,” Postecoglou said when asked about Werner being withdrawn at the break.

“It’s not acceptable to me. I said that to Timo. He is a senior international, a German international, with the moment we’re in right now, it’s not like we’ve got many options, I need everyone to at least be going out there and trying to give the best of themselves.

“Yeah, his performance in the first half wasn’t acceptable.

“We just need everyone, including him, to be contributing because we don’t have the depth to leave people out if they perform poorly. We need them to play their part and especially the senior guys.

“When I am asking younger guys to do massive jobs, I expect a level of performance from the senior guys and today wasn’t that.”

Injuries in defence meant Postecoglou used versatile 18-year-old Archie Gray at centre-back, but the summer recruit produced a largely assured display and fellow teenager Lucas Bergvall caught the eye with a second-half cameo off the bench.

Postecoglou said of Gray: “He’s 18, big experience for him and I thought he handled the experience really well.

“As an 18-year-old, in his first year at this level, to play in unfamiliar positions in such big games, it is outstanding what he is doing.

“I thought Lucas was excellent when he came on. He was due to start tonight but wasn’t feeling well today, a bit under the weather, so we had to keep him on the bench, but that’s a positive for us.

“Those two, as 18-year-olds, to already be contributing and experiencing these things will be of enormous benefit to us.”

Spurs required Fraser Forster to be at his best to leave Glasgow with a point after the former Celtic stopper made a brave block to deny Cyriel Dessers late on, which ensures the English club are in a strong position to clinch a top-eight berth with matches against Hoffenheim and Elfsborg in January.

“We weren’t anywhere near our best I think it is fair to say, but at the same time we’re in a period of games where we’re grinding through it with a fairly depleted squad and asking players to get up week in, week out,” Postecoglou acknowledged.

“I thought we worked our way back into the game well and the subs coming on made a difference. We scored a good goal, had a couple of other moments, but in the end, a great save by Frase gets us, in the context of where we are in Europe, an important point.”

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Ange Postecoglou has revealed Tottenham vice-captain Cristian Romero has apologised after he aimed a dig at the club’s board over its transfer policy.

Defender Romero was forced off after only 15 minutes of Spurs’ 4-3 loss at home to Chelsea on Sunday with a fresh injury and this latest defeat made it one victory in seven matches.

Romero publicly backed Postecoglou post-match and also urged the club hierarchy – seemingly in reference to chairman Daniel Levy – to follow the lead of Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea in the transfer market by strengthening the squad.

“Those are the things to imitate. You have to realise that something is going wrong. Hopefully they (club board) realise it,” Romero told Telemundo Deportes.

“Hopefully they realise who the true responsible ones are and we move forward because it’s a beautiful club that, with the structure it has, could easily be competing for the title every year.”

Inconsistency has blighted Tottenham amid a bad run of injuries and Postecoglou discussed Romero’s controversial comments before Thursday’s Europa League tie at Rangers.

“In the context of the day, Cristian was really disappointed obviously, more than disappointed in the fact that he works hard to get back and it was a big game for us,” Postecoglou said.

“He knew that, had to go off and then to watch the team sort of have to feel the pain of another defeat in the manner it happened, he was obviously very emotional.

“He’s a leader in the club, he hasn’t been able to help us and I think it was his way of trying to, as a leader, help us and the group in saying that we’re going through a tough time but he believes in what we’re doing.

“And then the other part of it probably, he went about it sort of the wrong way in terms of, I think he’s passionate about having success at the club.

“I think the way he probably expressed it was not the right way, particularly in a public sense because I don’t feel and certainly it’s not my belief that our kind of challenges at the moment are because of one thing or one person. I don’t believe that. I never have believed that.

“I think whatever we need to do, we have the power to do that, but it’ll only happen if we kind of stay united as a group, particularly through difficult times, and get through on the other side. I really believe if you can do that, you come out stronger.

“Cristian, he realises what he said. A lot of what he said was good. Some of what he said wasn’t right and shouldn’t be done in the public.”

Asked if Romero will be punished, Postecoglou insisted: “I think I’m pretty consistent in saying I just don’t think that that’s important.

“I think what’s more important is an understanding of how we should deal with these things and deal with them better.

“I’ve already spoken to Cristian about it. He’s apologised for the way he said it, particularly in the public sense, wasn’t the right way to go about things.

“He is a human being, he got emotional and I think he just expressed what he wanted to express publicly in the wrong way. He does care.

“I think it would have been easier for him not to say anything. He does care, but like I said, there’s a way to do these things.”

Romero’s comments overshadowed Postecoglou’s return to Glasgow where he will be without at least seven players, including Guglielmo Vicario, Micky van de Ven and Richarlison.

The ex-Celtic boss acknowledged it was the worst injury crisis of his managerial career but is excited about being back in Scotland.

“I think you know what kind of reception I’ll get,” Postecoglou smiled.

“European nights here, you know it is something you want to be a part of and hopefully overcome.”

Ange Postecoglou has revealed Tottenham vice-captain Cristian Romero has apologised after he aimed a dig at the club’s board over its transfer policy.

Defender Romero was forced off after only 15 minutes of Spurs’ 4-3 loss at home to Chelsea on Sunday with a fresh injury and this latest defeat made it one victory in seven matches.

Romero publicly backed Postecoglou post-match and also urged the club hierarchy – seemingly in reference to chairman Daniel Levy – to follow the lead of Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea in the transfer market by strengthening the squad.

“Those are the things to imitate. You have to realise that something is going wrong. Hopefully they (club board) realise it,” Romero told Telemundo Deportes.

“Hopefully they realise who the true responsible ones are and we move forward because it’s a beautiful club that, with the structure it has, could easily be competing for the title every year.”

Inconsistency has blighted Tottenham amid a bad run of injuries and Postecoglou discussed Romero’s controversial comments before Thursday’s Europa League tie at Rangers.

“In the context of the day, Cristian was really disappointed obviously, more than disappointed in the fact that he works hard to get back and it was a big game for us,” Postecoglou said.

“He knew that, had to go off and then to watch the team sort of have to feel the pain of another defeat in the manner it happened, he was obviously very emotional.

“He’s a leader in the club, he hasn’t been able to help us and I think it was his way of trying to, as a leader, help us and the group in saying that we’re going through a tough time but he believes in what we’re doing.

“And then the other part of it probably, he went about it sort of the wrong way in terms of, I think he’s passionate about having success at the club.

“I think the way he probably expressed it was not the right way, particularly in a public sense because I don’t feel and certainly it’s not my belief that our kind of challenges at the moment are because of one thing or one person. I don’t believe that. I never have believed that.

“I think whatever we need to do, we have the power to do that, but it’ll only happen if we kind of stay united as a group, particularly through difficult times, and get through on the other side. I really believe if you can do that, you come out stronger.

“Cristian, he realises what he said. A lot of what he said was good. Some of what he said wasn’t right and shouldn’t be done in the public.”

Asked if Romero will be punished, Postecoglou insisted: “I think I’m pretty consistent in saying I just don’t think that that’s important.

“I think what’s more important is an understanding of how we should deal with these things and deal with them better.

“I’ve already spoken to Cristian about it. He’s apologised for the way he said it, particularly in the public sense, wasn’t the right way to go about things.

“He is a human being, he got emotional and I think he just expressed what he wanted to express publicly in the wrong way. He does care.

“I think it would have been easier for him not to say anything. He does care, but like I said, there’s a way to do these things.”

Romero’s comments overshadowed Postecoglou’s return to Glasgow where he will be without at least seven players, including Guglielmo Vicario, Micky van de Ven and Richarlison.

The ex-Celtic boss acknowledged it was the worst injury crisis of his managerial career but is excited about being back in Scotland.

“I think you know what kind of reception I’ll get,” Postecoglou smiled.

“European nights here, you know it is something you want to be a part of and hopefully overcome.”

Spurs were 2-0 up after 12 minutes, the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was shaking with noise and Chelsea’s stumbling defender Marc Cucurella was so harrowed by his nightmare start that he’d had to change his boots. So perhaps the greatest indictment of this Spurs side is that even in that moment of utter dominance, with the game gift-wrapped and in the palm of their hands, you just knew they could fumble it at any moment.

Behind some brilliant Chelsea play to engineer a four-goal comeback was a comedy of Spurs errors, an unravelling of devastating proportions. Jadon Sancho was allowed to dribble from the touchline to the edge of the box and shoot. Yves Bissouma gave away a needless penalty with a lunge that could be seen long before it happened, yards before he actually clattered through Moises Caicedo. Pape Matar Sarr’s bungled challenge on Cole Palmer was even more foolish, given the forward was facing the corner flag at the time.

Palmer’s panenka penalty could be interpreted as a piece of genius from arguably the best player in the Premier League right now. But it also felt like a piece of insolence saved for an opponent he didn’t much respect, whose fans had earlier pelted him with paper missiles while taking a corner, causing the game to stop. As he celebrated, he cupped his ears to Tottenham fans.

From 2-0 up, Spurs had slipped to 4-2 in less than an hour. A weary-looking Ange Postecoglou later said their mistakes were “born out of desperation”.

“Both penalties were poor on our behalf,” the Spurs manager said. “It’s kind of self-inflicted, unnecessary challenges, and you’re giving two goals away for no reason. You give yourself a mountain to climb, which proved too hard.”

It was not just defensively that Spurs erred. At 2-2, Son Heung-min wasted a huge chance to lead, when the captain raced through on goal and steadied himself before whipping a shot wildly off target. One of the most deadly finishers in the Premier League looked bereft of confidence, like his team, and his tap-in at the death was not enough to make amends as Spurs went down 4-3. Postecoglou rued a “big moment” that slipped by.

Yet that sense of self-sabotage might also be levelled at the manager. Spurs played with typical abandon which produced moments of joyous football in the first half, but when the momentum of the game swung, Postecoglou failed to react. His midfield was inexplicably open, with the overrun Bissouma understandably drawn to Palmer, leaving the advancing Enzo Fernandez in wide-open space time and time again.

“Tottenham Hotspur, it’s happened again,” sang the Chelsea fans, and there was a devastating simplicity to that refrain. It was losing to Chelsea, the team who have enjoyed more success than any other visiting this stadium; it was letting another lead slip away in a cliched collapse; it was how they seemed to melt in the middle.

What now for a manager who had spent midweek remonstrating with his own fans? Spurs supporters had roared their team on to a perfect start here, but as soon as Sancho’s reply hit the net, the wall of noise disintegrated and tension filled the air. There were smatterings of boos after Palmer’s second penalty, though that may have been for Chelsea’s pantomime villain of the night. Yet how long can Spurs fans put up with this wild inconsistency, not only from game to game but within them too?

Perhaps more pertinent is the patience of Daniel Levy, the man who appointed Postecoglou. He stood in the stands looking stoney-faced after the full-time whistle blew. This, Postecoglou argued, was a partially good performance against a top side. But it was also part of a streak of one win in seven games, while Chelsea have now won five in a row. Spurs are 11th in the table, below Bournemouth, Brentford and Fulham, having now lost more than they’ve won this season.

There are caveats in the injuries they have suffered, and here Cristian Romero and Micky Van de Ven were both rushed back from the treatment table to start the game. Romero departed early with what appeared to be a fresh injury while Van de Ven was later subbed feeling “tightness”. Brennan Johnson, arguably Spurs’ best player this season, was also taken off after feeling unwell.

But that does not begin to answer why Tottenham collapse so readily, why the team appears so easy to cut through, with a centre made from papier mache. It doesn’t excuse allowing 17 shots, or 46 touches in their area. It’s happened again, and Postecoglou must fix it fast.