Southampton were unfortunate not to pick up a point last weekend when they faced Manchester United at Old Trafford. In a game of sensational strikes, the Saints conceded one too many for their liking and returned to the South Coast empty handed.
This week life gets no easier for the relegation threatened outfit, as they prepare for the visit of a Tottenham side who will undoubtedly be buoyant after such an impressive European performance in midweek.
Mauricio Pochettino’s men travelled to Germany to face Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League Round of 16 second leg and although they had a 3-0 lead in their back pocket, the tie was not yet done and dusted.
Especially when you consider their recent shaky league form - a run of results that has only seen them pick up one point from the last nine that were on offer, a return that would have Dortmund confident of being able to overturn such a hefty deficit.
And to be fair to Dortmund, in the opening 45 minutes they threw absolutely everything at Tottenham. But try as they might they could not breakdown the impenetrable wall that was being guarded by the likes of Jan Vertonghen and Hugo Lloris.
That said it would be doing the rest of Tottenham’s starting eleven a huge disservice to single just those two players out for any defensive praise. To a man, the Spurs side were resolute and managing to keep the German giants at bay.
And by the time Harry Kane had scored just four minutes after the restart, the wind was well out of Dortmund’s sails and progression to the Quarter-finals for the North London was all but rubber stamped.
Now Mauricio Pochettino will be hoping that his players can use that result as a launchpad for the final two months of the season and most certainly on a domestic front, where the quest to finish in the top four is beginning to heat up.
After Hugo Lloris’ penalty save against Arsenal last week, a return to the Champions League next season is still very much in Tottenham’s hands, but they need to make sure they return to winning ways with almost immediate effect.
And this weekend the Tottenham players will have to aim for all three points without their manager in the technical area. That’s because after his remonstration with Mike Dean, Pochettino will have to serve the first of a two-match touchline ban.
Whether that knocks his players off their stride remains to be seen, you would think in this day and age that players are professional enough to take instruction in the week and then carry out the plan come the weekend.
At the same time if Tottenham fail to get the job done at St Mary’s, then people will no doubt point to the fact that they were without their trusted steward for ninety minutes and this is a situation that Southampton will look to take full advantage of.
When teams are fighting for their lives at the bottom of the table, they are something of a tougher nut to crack and Tottenham will not be able to take their opponents lightly. However, after such a huge result on Tuesday and their tails up once again, this should be a relatively comfortable away win.