James Maddison doubles up in Tottenham’s rout of sorry Southampton
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As a battle of the Premier League’s two most idealistic managers, it registered as a no-contest. Such was the dominance of Ange Postecoglou’s version of the glory game over Southampton’s it ended up being a question of exactly when Russell Martin’s misguided evangelism will be discontinued. And not if. Saints’ main contribution to any free-flowing, inventive football was letting Spurs play exactly as they liked.
![[Dejan Kulusevski makes it 3-0.]](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/26c76a2b6ac74de57d02581b0b557d0131e6d344/0_134_4000_2400/master/4000.jpg?width=445&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)
In pre-match, there had been insurrection in the ranks of the away support, calling for the departure of Daniel Levy after the chairman was spotted in the stands. If there are doubts in Postecoglou, the fault lines between fan and boardroom run far deeper. Two seasons ago, on Tottenham’s previous Premier League visit to St Mary’s, a rancorous 3-3 draw had preceded Antonio Conte kissing off with a post-match rant for the ages, leaving Levy and the club’s executive class’s ears burning as he took his leave.
Though such matters will always simmer at Spurs, Sunday night on the south coast ended up a night where the medleys were given a good airing, a highly enjoyable holiday from the eternal existentialism of being English football’s most mercurial club. If Southampton were easy prey, particularly during a deluge of goals in the first half, then Spurs’ stars rose to the occasion. There was even a role to play for a forgotten man in a first Tottenham win since Saints’ fellow whipping Premier League boys, Manchester City, were beaten 4-0 on 23 November.
