Bottom club Southampton were booed off and Russell Martin was subsequently sacked after suffering a 5-0 defeat to Tottenham.
Martin had overseen 13 defeats in their 16 games since promotion back to the top flight in the summer. They are stuck in 20th, already nine points from safety and are now looking for a new boss.
In his programme notes, Martin had called on Saints fans to “keep believing” in his players despite the predicament they currently find themselves in. Any effect those words might have had on supporters was rapidly eradicated.
With just 36 seconds on the clock, James Maddison swept the opener after Djed Spence easily brought the ball forward through the middle of the park. It was the earliest Saints had conceded in the Premier League since November 2013.
It was 2-0 after 12 minutes when Heung-Min Son slotted home after Jan Bednarek’s poor header, and 3-0 two minutes later, with Son turning provider for Dejan Kulusevski to turn the ball home from close range.
That was enough for the home fans to direct their frustrations towards Martin, but the fourth from Pape Sarr – following abysmal defending in the 25th minute – sparked a mass exodus from St Mary’s. It was the earliest Tottenham had led by four goals in a Premier League game.
A dejected Russell Martin paces the touchline as his Southampton side fall 4-0 down to Spurs
Martin trudged down the tunnel before the half-time whistle and not only missed the intense boos from the home fans that greeted it, but Maddison’s second of the evening, from the tightest of angles.
There was no such intensity in the second half. In fact, Spurs only attempted a single shot in the second half, with Son, Maddison and Dominic Solanke withdrawn with one eye on Thursday’s Carabao Cup quarter-final against Manchester United, which is live on Sky Sports.
Thursday 19th December 7:00pm
Kick off 8:00pm
Southampton did try to reduce the deficit, with Tyler Dibling arguably their biggest threat. Mateus Fernandes headed in late on, but knew he had strayed offside immediately. Ultimately, they could do nothing to take the gloss off; the job was already done.
Martin before sacking: Boos hurt me as a manager but I will fight on
Under-pressure Southampton manager Russell Martin speaking to TNT Sports straight after the game:
“I’m hurt at the first half. We just don’t respond very well to setbacks as a group.
“Ultimately, it’s hurt us a lot this season. We concede so early and we have a chance to foul Djed Spence in the middle of the pitch, and we don’t. Then we’re 1-0 down, and then the response after that is incredibly poor. So very disappointing.
Martin was booed by his own fans during the Spurs defeat
“Probably the most disappointing thing is we have a plan that I love the week’s training. The players have been a part of that process, but we don’t carry out with anywhere near enough intensive aggression, because we concede literally the first action they have the ball. So then that’s down to mentality and still wanting to stick to it.
“So I didn’t recognise our team in the first half. I’m pleased they stuck at it in the second. But it’s a tough night.”
On whether boos from home crowd affect him: “As a person, no. Because I understand it’s not personal. I don’t know them and they don’t know me.
“As a manager, yeah, of course, it hurts me. It hurts the team, but I also understand it.”
Asked where he goes from here: “I think we have no choice but to work and fight. It’s all I’ve done since I’ve been in this job, and it’s all I’ll continue to do until I’m told otherwise.”
Ramsdale: I feel very sorry for Martin
Southampton goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale speaking to TNT Sports:
“A difficult one. The early goal sucker-punched us and we just never recovered.
“Give the credit to Tottenham – James Maddison player of the match.
“Tonight’s a real difficult one for us to take.”
On Russell Martin: “I feel very sorry for him. I think the lads are still trying for him. I don’t think there’s any question of anything on Russell Martin.
“The fans do deserve better and they’re sticking with us, and it’s one we have to move on very quickly ahead of Wednesday.”
Ange praises senior players Son and Maddison: They were catalysts in win
Tottenham head coach Ange Postecoglou speaking at his post-match press conference about his senior players Son and Maddison standing up:
“Yeah, they were brilliant. I think they sensed that they needed to tonight. We’re just spread so thin that we’re asking young players and players who haven’t played a lot and others who are playing all the time to go out there and still try and play to our identity, still try and play the football we want to and I thought they were both a catalyst for that tonight with both their football but also their mindset of just going out there.
“We had to start strong today. We kind of knew we’d probably run out of gas at the end of the game considering the line-up we had out there and coming off Europe on Thursday night, so I think the players sensed that and credit to them that they started the game that way.”
On the win: “Really proud of the players. Obviously we had a tough away European fixture on Thursday night [at Rangers]. We had 10 first-team players unavailable for a number of reasons today, so out of a squad of 25 you do the sums.
“We asked a lot of them to again go out there and dig into their wells of energy and a couple we put out there haven’t played for ages so the fact that boys can play with such energy and quality is just outstanding and really pleased that they get the rewards for it because they deserve it.”
