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Premier League | Gameweek 21

Jan 1, 2020 at 3pm UK

Southampton
1-0
Spurs Tottenham Hotspur

Ings (17')

FT(HT: 1-0)

How Tottenham Hotspur could line up against Southampton

By Barney Corkhill, Editor | 30 December 2019

Sports Mole looks at how Tottenham Hotspur could line up for the New Year's Day meeting with Southampton as Jose Mourinho welcomes two players back from suspension.

Tottenham Hotspur get 2020 underway with a trip to face Southampton at St Mary's on New Year's Day as they look to close the gap on the Champions League places.

A 2-2 draw with Norwich City in their final match of 2019 left them five points adrift of the top four, and that gap could grow before they kick off with Chelsea in action earlier in the day.

Tottenham have not lost their opening league game of a calendar year since 2009, though, and have won more games against Southampton since the Saints were promoted back to the top flight in 2012 than they have against any other team.

Here, Sports Mole looks at how Jose Mourinho could set his side up for the contest.

Out: Son Heung-min (suspended), Hugo Lloris (elbow), Danny Rose (muscle), Ben Davies (ankle)
Doubtful: None

> Click here for Tottenham's latest injury and suspension news ahead of this match

Spurs are able to welcome Moussa Sissoko and Harry Winks back from suspension for this match, with both midfielders serving one-game bans last time out for picking up five yellow cards over the first half of the season.

Tanguy Ndombele is now back available and could keep hold of his place in midfield despite the returning duo, though, with Sissoko generally the man preferred so far this season.

Son Heung-min remains banned as he serves the final game of his three-match suspension for kicking out at Antonio Rudiger, while Danny Rose has joined long-term absentees Hugo Lloris and Ben Davies in the treatment room.

Mourinho could revert back to a defensive four rather than the three at the back which he utilised against Norwich, with Davinson Sanchez and Lucas Moura among the players pushing for recalls after being rested.

Drastic rotation is not expected with Sunday's FA Cup tie against Middlesbrough a seemingly better opportunity for that, meaning that Harry Kane is expected to lead the line once again.

The England captain is behind Southampton's Danny Ings in the Premier League scoring stakes this season but does boast a fearsome record on New Year's Day having netted five times in his last three such appearances - a joint-Premier League record alongside Andy Cole and Steven Gerrard.

Kane has also scored in six consecutive Premier League appearances against Southampton, and should he find the back of the net again on Thursday then only Robin van Persie (eight versus Stoke City) would have had a longer scoring streak against a particular opponent in the competition.