Southampton 0 Tottenham 5: Saints fans leave after 26 mins as Spurs’ five-star display leaves Russell Martin on brink
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Sponsored by. EVEN Russell Martin turned his back on his sorry Southampton team as the goals rained down on them. The under-fire Saints gaffer had already headed down the tunnel to prepare his half-time team-talk before James Maddison struck an ingenious fifth.
![[Russell Martin faces the Southampton sack]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/editorial-use-no-use-unauthorised-957719810.jpg?strip=all&w=851)
Martin's gaffe compounded a nightmare first half which saw Maddison net before and after strikes from Son Heung-min, Dejan Kulusevski and Pape Matar Sarr. The goal blitz from the visitors provided Tottenham chief Ange Postecoglou some welcome respite and a first win in six.
![[James Maddison got a double against Southampton]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/2024-tottenham-hotspurs-james-maddison-957710121.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
But for Martin it was pure humiliation that, at the interval, looked in danger of matching the record-breaking 9-0 suffered by Ralph Hasenhuttl against Maddison’s Leicester in 2019. It did not reach that scale of torment but it was still seriously painful for the 38-year-old.
![[Maddison showed off his darts celebration twice on the night the World Champs got underway]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/editorial-use-no-use-unauthorised-957710558.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
He was subjected to taunts of “We want Martin out” and “Russell Martin, you’re football is s***” by the home fans - many of whom left early. And with just five points from the first 16 games taken - a position from which no Premier League side has ever survived - it left Martin's job prospects looking bleak.
Fans are frustrated by his pursuit of sexy football which seems ill-fitting with the quality of players at his disposal at this level. There was plenty of anger vented in the away end too - despite the scoreline - in the direction of watching chairman Daniel Levy.
![[Son Heung-min was back amongst the goals]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/editorial-use-no-use-unauthorised-957712222.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
