Having sat on the sofa and watched his five closest rivals spring out of Christmas with five wins, Mauricio Pochettino knew this was crucial to Tottenham's top-four ambitions.
Spurs needed to keep in step but instead fell behind inside 69 seconds and were slow to find their rhythm.
Perhaps it was the tension but Harry Kane's first Premier League goal since early December turned the game and Southampton hopes vanished when Nathan Redmond was sent off by Mike Dean moments later.
Tottenham are behind Arsenal by only a point on the fifth position after yesterday's win.
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