Southampton have come from behind to register a 2-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in Saturday's Premier League clash on the South coast.

Spurs dominated the opening hour and led through Harry Kane, but Yann Valery finished off a team move to get Saints back on level terms before James Ward-Prowse's sensational free kick secured all three points for the home side.

Southampton remain two points above the relegation zone but the defeat for Spurs - a third in four top-flight fixtures - leaves Manchester United with the chance to move level on points with the third-placed North London outfit on Sunday.

Mauricio Pochettino served the first of his two-match touchline ban at his former club with Jesus Perez taking the senior role on the bench, but Spurs began quickly at St Mary's with Kane sending two volleys off target in quick succession.

Southampton matched the visitors during the early stages, but Spurs soon stamped their authority on the game and Dele Alli in particular played with a level of sharpness which belied the fact that he had spent over six weeks on the sidelines.

Spurs hit the woodwork twice in as many minutes midway through the first half, with Maya Yoshida's attempted interception from a right-wing cross hitting the post before the Japanese was forced to clear at the second time of asking.

Christian Eriksen was then provided with the opportunity to take a free kick from 25 yards, and the Dane's curling effort struck the top of Angus Gunn's crossbar.

Spurs remained in the ascendancy and netted their opener courtesy of the brilliance of Alli, who played a floated pass over the top of the defence for Kane to fire into the far corner from an acute angle.

Southampton were offering very little at the other end, with only a long-range strike from Nathan Redmond coming close to beating Hugo Lloris during the opening 45 minutes.

Eriksen saw a swerving effort from distance kept out by Gunn just before the half-time whistle, and Spurs would have deserved a second goal had it arrived before the break.

Southampton made two substitutions ahead of the restart, but Spurs picked up where they left off as Kane sent a shot whistling past the far post after drifting inside two Saints defenders.

Alli was continuing to have an influence in the final third, although Southampton began to commit more men forward with Ralph Hasenhuttl having realised that a second and game-deciding goal was potentially on its way.

Redmond fired into the side-netting from an acute angle, while Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg almost found the top corner of Lloris net with a shot from 15 yards out.

Kane curled over the bar at the other end after some good work from Kyle Walker-Peters and Eriksen, and the England forward was made to pay as Southampton found an equaliser with 14 minutes remaining.

Ryan Bertrand played in Stuart Armstrong, who was able to send a low pass across the face of goal where Valery was waiting at the back post to scuff a shot into the net from close range.

Southampton remained in the ascendancy and it was not long before the home side went in front, with Ward-Prowse matching his free kick at Manchester United last weekend with another unstoppable effort into the top corner.

Spurs pushed forward in search of a late equaliser, but after Moussa Sissoko saw a volley deflected over the bar Southampton were able to see out the remaining minutes to boost their hopes of avoiding relegation to the Championship.

SOUTHAMPTON (3-5-1-1): Gunn; Bednarek, Yoshida, Vestergaard; Valery, Ward-Prowse, Romeu (Long 46', Armstrong 73'), Hojbjerg, Bertrand; Redmond; Austin (Sims 46')

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (4-2-3-1): Lloris; Walker-Peters, Sanchez, Vertonghen, Rose (Davies 82'); Dier, Sissoko; Eriksen, Alli (Llorente 82'), Moura (Son 72'); Kane