Mauricio Pochettino’s St Mary’s return saw Saints twice pegged back by Tottenham in a 2-2 draw.

Goals in either half from Graziano Pelle gave Saints the advantage, only for Erik Lamela and Nacer Chaldi to respond for Pochettino’s men.

The draw meant that with four games of the season remaining Spurs remain a point ahead of Saints in the battle for Europe.

There was a fantastic atmosphere at St Mary’s with the Saints fans cheering manager Ronald Koeman and significant pockets of orange around the ground in honour of the manager.

Mauricio Pochettino meanwhile was roundly the booed the first time he ventured off the bench and into his technical area.

The game started at a high intensity with both sides clearly aware of the significance of the match.

Tottenham were playing like a carbon copy of Saints under Pochettino last season, very high tempo and pressing really high up the pitch.


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Koeman’s men meanwhile were looking strong and trying to get dominate possession to impose their game on Spurs.

With both sides cancelling each other out somewhat there were no early chances.

The nearest either side came was Ryan Bertrand’s fantastic left wing cross on 11 minutes but Graziano Pelle couldn’t quite reach it and was already in an offside position.

Bertrand put in another brilliant left wing cross seven minutes later, this one low and right into the six yard box, but there was no Saints player in there to convert.

Spurs had looked the more threatening of the two sides but it was Saints who had the first genuine chance of the game on 25 minutes.

James Ward-Prowse delivered a low right wing corner that was met by a side footed effort from Morgan Schneiderlin.

The ball went through several players but Hugo Lloris saw it in time to get down low to his left and turn it wide.

Lloris was beaten though as Saints took the lead on 29 minutes.

It was a shambles of a goal from a Spurs point of view.

Pelle flicked the ball round the corner to Sadio Mane, who accelerated away with his pace. He was challenged on the edge of the area and Saints went crazy as Ward-Prowse attempted to retrieve the second ball and went down claiming a foul that wasn’t given.

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However, it worked out perfectly as Ryan Mason slipped on the ball and panicked when he got up, sending a woefully short back pass into his own area.

Ben Davies should have just cleared but attempted to hold off Pelle and shepherd the ball back to Lloris but the Spurs keeper remained on his line. The big striker might have given Davies a slight push in the back but was able to get a leg past the falling Davies and toe poke the ball past the rooted Lloris.

After Jan Vertonghen and Davies went in the book for fouls Saints might have had another goal five minutes before half time. Again Bertrand was the provider with a left wing cross that picked out the run of Steven Davis but his effort from 12 yards out went well wide.

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However, the game was level again on 43 minutes.

Saints allowed Eric Dier time to pick out a right wing cross, which flicked off the head of Harry Kane at the near post and found Erik Lamela just in behind.

He didn’t make a clean connection with the ball under pressure from Jose Fonte, with it seeming to strike his arm and diverting the ball goalwards. Kelvin Davis sprung to his left and got a strong hand to it but couldn’t quite keep it out and the sides went in level at the break.

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The second half got off to a roaring start with Steven Davis having another good chance five minutes after the restart.

Spurs backed off him and allowed him time and space to pick his spot from just inside the area but he dragged his shot across goal and wide.

It just wasn’t Steven Davis’ day as he missed an even better opening four minutes later.

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Mane played the ball into Pelle in the area and he flicked it back to Davis. He produced a superb first touch to jink inside and buy himself a yard but his second, a bending right footed shot towards the far top corner from ten yards out, went wide.

Saints were well on top and Lloris was called into action moments later, having to turn Bertrand’s deflected left wing cross over the bar as it threatened to dip in.

Bertrand tried a shot with his right foot on the hour mark after Pelle cut back from the left by-line but it curled narrowly over the bar.

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Saints made their first change on 62 minutes with Shane Long coming on for Ward-Prowse.

It paid off as Saints took the lead again three minutes later.

Long was the provider was a right wing cross that was met by a huge leap from Pelle, who had left marker Federico Fazio for dead.

The big Italian scored his and Saints’ second of the game with a magnificent header which he guided into the bottom corner from ten yards out.

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Spurs responded quickly though and equalised again on 70 minutes.

It came almost out of nothing as a pass down the right channel from Dier was played into the path of Nacer Chadli. He showed great strength to hold off the attentions of Maya Yoshida on his left shoulder and produced a low shot across goal as he reached the six yard box that beat Kelvin Davis and went into the far corner for 2-2.

Davies had to be replaced after an injury as he attempted to clear from Mane with Vlad Chiriches coming on.

Koeman made a very attacking change with nine minutes remaining as he brought on Eljero Elia for Steven Davis.

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Fonte’s header back across goal briefly threatened before Fazio headed clear.

Spurs made a defensive change with Moussa Dembele replacing Chadli and then introduced Roberto Soldado for Nabil Bentaleb.

There was a late blow to Saints as Schneiderlin hobbled off holding his left knee and was replaced by Harrison Reed.

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After all the injuries there were seven minutes of stoppage time and Toby Alderweireld’s stooping header from a corner picked out Lloris.

Saints had a chance with literally the last touch of the game as Elia’s corner picked out Fonte but his diving header from eight yards out went narrowly over the bar and the game ended level.