By Daily Sports on December 29, 2021

Antonio Conte says Tottenham will have to "improve a lot" and it "won't be easy to fight for something this season" after they were held by a Southampton side who played for more than 50 minutes with 10 men.

Spurs fell behind at St Mary's when James Ward-Prowse cut across a bouncing ball to volley a swerving shot past Hugo Lloris for a superb opener. But the game turned when Mohammed Salisu fouled Son Heung-min in the box to earn a second booking in 12 first-half minutes and allow Harry Kane to level from the penalty spot.

Conte became the first manager in Tottenham's history to remain unbeaten in his first seven league games, but said: "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. "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. For sure it was an opportunity that we missed. When you have this type of situation you have to try to exploit, to try to get three points."

Spurs twice had the ball in the net after the break, with Kane seeing a strike ruled out by VAR for a narrow offside and Southampton goalkeeper Fraser Forster spared own-goal blushes when it was judged he was fouled by Matt Doherty. Tottenham felt aggrieved by the decision on Forster's foul but, in truth, they did not do enough after the break to pull and stretch a patched-up Saints back four, who repeatedly limited the visitors to crosses from wide areas.

Southampton boss Hasenhuttl punched the air in delight at the final whistle and said there was "no chance to be more proud than today". (BBC)

•PHOTO: The game's key moment arrived when Mohammed Salisu fouled Son Heung-min, earning a red card and conceding a penalty

Source Daily Sports

Posted December 29, 2021

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