Mauricio Pochettino will look for further evidence of what he believes is his Tottenham Hotspur side’s developing character as he watches from the stands at Southampton on Saturday afternoon.
Pochettino’s side head to St Mary’s Stadium on the back of an impressive 1-0 victory at Borussia Dortmund that completed a 4-0 aggregate victory over the Bundesliga leaders and secured Spurs’ place in the Champions League quarter-finals.
The win in Germany provided a timely boost after an alarming dip in form in the Premier League. Successive defeats at Burnley and Chelsea followed by the home draw with Arsenal ended Spurs’ hopes of forcing their way into the title race and has left the third-placed side looking over their shoulders.
A four-point gap separates Pochettino’s side from Arsenal in fifth place with Chelsea a further point behind. Tottenham can ill afford another slip against a Southampton side desperately fighting to avoid slipping into the bottom three.
Pochettino will be absent from the touchline when he returns to his former club having been handed a two-match ban following his on-field confrontation with referee Mike Dean at Burnley.
1/22 Roman Burkl 5
Had nothing to do until he had Kane running straight at him, and he did not know how to react. Blameless for tonight’s defeat, although he may regret his performance at Wembley more than this one.
AP
2/22 Marius Wolf 4
Summed up Dortmund’s evening. Full of energy, taking the game to Tottenham in the first half, urging his colleagues on. But whenever he had space down the right his delivery was dismal, at the moments that ended up costing Dortmund the game.
EPA
3/22 Manuel Akanji 5
Was heralded as making an improvement to the Dortmund defence, but in truth he did little to make the difference here. Could only watch as Dortmund wasted their chances, before Spurs scored from their first attack.
EPA
4/22 Abdou Diallo 5
Back when Dortmund were attacking early on in the game he went on one thrilling run down the left and set up Gotze, whose shot was blocked. Beyond that it was largely frustration that his runs came to nothing.
AFP/Getty Images
5/22 Raphael Guerreiro 5
Moved up from left-back into a left-wing role, he was meant to be part of Dortmund’s exciting front five but it did not quite work out like that as he could break through in that busy first half.
Action Images via Reuters
6/22 Axel Witsel 5
Has a big job anchoring the Dortmund team for five attackers in front of him but he did it well, setting the tempo with and without possession, clattering into tackles and encouraging his team-mates to do the same. But it was nowhere near enough.
Action Images via Reuters
7/22 Julian Weigl 4
The converted midfielder was useful on the ball, and nearly scored a clever little header, but was caught out when Kane ran in behind for the goal. Although the real defensive damage was done at Wembley.
Getty Images
8/22 Jadon Sancho 5
Not quite as dangerous as he was in the first half of the Wembley game. Got on the ball less often and did less with it, one flick here, one dart there, but looking for once like an inexperienced 18 year old. Has plenty more Champions League campaigns ahead of him to learn.
Action Images via Reuters
9/22 Marco Reus 7
How Dortmund missed him in the first leg. He was electric here, starting in midfield, running past players and threatening the Spurs goal. But he could never quite break through here. Still given a standing ovation when he went off in the second half.
AP
10/22 Mario Gotze 6
Much deeper than in the first leg, he looked more comfortable getting the ball at his feet and moving it forwards. Nearly scored late in the first half only to be denied by Lloris’ left hand.
Bongarts/Getty Images
11/22 Paco Alcacer 5
Probably the quietest of Dortmund’s front five, he suffered because Spurs were forced so deep he did not have that much space to run into. Looked frustrated at times, but even more so as his team went out.
Bongarts/Getty Images
12/22 Hugo Lloris 9
Big game heroics. This tie was always going to hinge on Spurs surviving the early Dortmund storm. And his goal was peppered in the first half but he was at his agile best throughout, saving from Reus, Weigl and stretching to his left from Gotze. It was Spurs keeping this 0-0 that secured their passage, and they could not have done that without their keeper.
AFP/Getty Images
13/22 Toby Alderweireld 8
What a relief to Spurs that they did not find a buyer for Alderweireld last summer. Because his experience has continued to get them out of scrapes this season, especially in these two legs against Dortmund. Was vital here, organising the back line around him, making crucial blocks and headers, helping to hold off Dortmund in that crucial first half.
AFP/Getty Images
14/22 Davinson Sanchez 6
Had one or two nervous moments in the first half, as he did against Arsenal on Saturday. But he settled into the game, showing again the speed and aggression that means Pochettino keeps trusting him in these big games. Clearly still learning every week.
Bongarts/Getty Images
15/22 Jan Vertonghen 9
Like Lloris, he stood firm in the face of the Dortmund storm, and without him Spurs would not have survived. His positioning was immaculate but one big tackle on Reus will always stand out.
Bongarts/Getty Images
16/22 Serge Aurier 7
Surprisingly preferred to Kieran Trippier for this game, he did not let anyone down. That might not sound like much but for Aurier it is progress. Was a reliable part of Spurs’ back five, making every tackle he needed to. Tried to attack down the right but none of them ever came off.
Action Images via Reuters
17/22 Ben Davies 7
Sometimes Spurs wingbacks have to attack with width but here he just had to dig in and defend, part of their solid back five. But he did it well, winning every tackle, never letting Sancho get in behind him, playing his own important part in this huge team win.
Getty Images
18/22 Moussa Sissoko 8
We knew he could put the yards in, but who expected him to do this? It was Sissoko’s perfectly weighted through ball that cut Dortmund open to secure progress for Spurs. Without that goal it might have been a very different evening.
Bongarts/Getty Images
19/22 Harry Winks 6
Spurs did struggle at the start but Winks settled into the game and by the end of the first half he was more involved, passing and moving, giving them something they lacked on Saturday. Unfortunate to be forced off with injury soon after Kane’s crucial goal.
Bongarts/Getty Images
20/22 Christian Eriksen 8
The more influential he became, the more settled Spurs were. He was their only player who could take a second on the ball and play a pass but as he did so they started to take the sting out of the Dortmund pressure. And out of possession he moved out onto the right of Spurs’ 5-4-1, doing the hard pressing work that not every creative genius likes to do. Never looks out of place even on a stage as grand as this.
AFP/Getty Images
21/22 Heung Min Son 6
Not his best game but he never stopped running, trying to stretch Dortmund with his runs and put them under pressure. Always reliable for tireless contributions to the team cause, as he showed here.
AFP/Getty Images
22/22 Harry Kane 8
Barely got a touch in the first half, but who cares? He only needs one chance. He sent Spurs through with his first real opening, four minutes into the second half. Running onto Moussa Sissoko’s through pass, he took just enough time to gather himself and put the ball into the top corner. That is what Harry Kane is all about, delivering for his team in the biggest moments.
AP
1/22 Roman Burkl 5
Had nothing to do until he had Kane running straight at him, and he did not know how to react. Blameless for tonight’s defeat, although he may regret his performance at Wembley more than this one.
AP
2/22 Marius Wolf 4
Summed up Dortmund’s evening. Full of energy, taking the game to Tottenham in the first half, urging his colleagues on. But whenever he had space down the right his delivery was dismal, at the moments that ended up costing Dortmund the game.
EPA
3/22 Manuel Akanji 5
Was heralded as making an improvement to the Dortmund defence, but in truth he did little to make the difference here. Could only watch as Dortmund wasted their chances, before Spurs scored from their first attack.
EPA
4/22 Abdou Diallo 5
Back when Dortmund were attacking early on in the game he went on one thrilling run down the left and set up Gotze, whose shot was blocked. Beyond that it was largely frustration that his runs came to nothing.
AFP/Getty Images
5/22 Raphael Guerreiro 5
Moved up from left-back into a left-wing role, he was meant to be part of Dortmund’s exciting front five but it did not quite work out like that as he could break through in that busy first half.
Action Images via Reuters
6/22 Axel Witsel 5
Has a big job anchoring the Dortmund team for five attackers in front of him but he did it well, setting the tempo with and without possession, clattering into tackles and encouraging his team-mates to do the same. But it was nowhere near enough.
Action Images via Reuters
7/22 Julian Weigl 4
The converted midfielder was useful on the ball, and nearly scored a clever little header, but was caught out when Kane ran in behind for the goal. Although the real defensive damage was done at Wembley.
Getty Images
8/22 Jadon Sancho 5
Not quite as dangerous as he was in the first half of the Wembley game. Got on the ball less often and did less with it, one flick here, one dart there, but looking for once like an inexperienced 18 year old. Has plenty more Champions League campaigns ahead of him to learn.
Action Images via Reuters
9/22 Marco Reus 7
How Dortmund missed him in the first leg. He was electric here, starting in midfield, running past players and threatening the Spurs goal. But he could never quite break through here. Still given a standing ovation when he went off in the second half.
AP
10/22 Mario Gotze 6
Much deeper than in the first leg, he looked more comfortable getting the ball at his feet and moving it forwards. Nearly scored late in the first half only to be denied by Lloris’ left hand.
Bongarts/Getty Images
11/22 Paco Alcacer 5
Probably the quietest of Dortmund’s front five, he suffered because Spurs were forced so deep he did not have that much space to run into. Looked frustrated at times, but even more so as his team went out.
Bongarts/Getty Images
12/22 Hugo Lloris 9
Big game heroics. This tie was always going to hinge on Spurs surviving the early Dortmund storm. And his goal was peppered in the first half but he was at his agile best throughout, saving from Reus, Weigl and stretching to his left from Gotze. It was Spurs keeping this 0-0 that secured their passage, and they could not have done that without their keeper.
AFP/Getty Images
13/22 Toby Alderweireld 8
What a relief to Spurs that they did not find a buyer for Alderweireld last summer. Because his experience has continued to get them out of scrapes this season, especially in these two legs against Dortmund. Was vital here, organising the back line around him, making crucial blocks and headers, helping to hold off Dortmund in that crucial first half.
AFP/Getty Images
14/22 Davinson Sanchez 6
Had one or two nervous moments in the first half, as he did against Arsenal on Saturday. But he settled into the game, showing again the speed and aggression that means Pochettino keeps trusting him in these big games. Clearly still learning every week.
Bongarts/Getty Images
15/22 Jan Vertonghen 9
Like Lloris, he stood firm in the face of the Dortmund storm, and without him Spurs would not have survived. His positioning was immaculate but one big tackle on Reus will always stand out.
Bongarts/Getty Images
16/22 Serge Aurier 7
Surprisingly preferred to Kieran Trippier for this game, he did not let anyone down. That might not sound like much but for Aurier it is progress. Was a reliable part of Spurs’ back five, making every tackle he needed to. Tried to attack down the right but none of them ever came off.
Action Images via Reuters
17/22 Ben Davies 7
Sometimes Spurs wingbacks have to attack with width but here he just had to dig in and defend, part of their solid back five. But he did it well, winning every tackle, never letting Sancho get in behind him, playing his own important part in this huge team win.
Getty Images
18/22 Moussa Sissoko 8
We knew he could put the yards in, but who expected him to do this? It was Sissoko’s perfectly weighted through ball that cut Dortmund open to secure progress for Spurs. Without that goal it might have been a very different evening.
Bongarts/Getty Images
19/22 Harry Winks 6
Spurs did struggle at the start but Winks settled into the game and by the end of the first half he was more involved, passing and moving, giving them something they lacked on Saturday. Unfortunate to be forced off with injury soon after Kane’s crucial goal.
Bongarts/Getty Images
20/22 Christian Eriksen 8
The more influential he became, the more settled Spurs were. He was their only player who could take a second on the ball and play a pass but as he did so they started to take the sting out of the Dortmund pressure. And out of possession he moved out onto the right of Spurs’ 5-4-1, doing the hard pressing work that not every creative genius likes to do. Never looks out of place even on a stage as grand as this.
AFP/Getty Images
21/22 Heung Min Son 6
Not his best game but he never stopped running, trying to stretch Dortmund with his runs and put them under pressure. Always reliable for tireless contributions to the team cause, as he showed here.
AFP/Getty Images
22/22 Harry Kane 8
Barely got a touch in the first half, but who cares? He only needs one chance. He sent Spurs through with his first real opening, four minutes into the second half. Running onto Moussa Sissoko’s through pass, he took just enough time to gather himself and put the ball into the top corner. That is what Harry Kane is all about, delivering for his team in the biggest moments.
AP
The manager admitted the severity of the punishment – he was also fined £10,000 – had left him shocked and he will be forced to oversee his side’s efforts to build on the Dortmund victory remotely.
He will do so, however, backed by the belief his side have developing a stronger mentality that is evidenced in their outstanding away form this season.
Spurs are ranked just seventh in the league table based solely on home form, having collected 28 points from 14 league games at their temporary headquarters at Wembley.
On the road, though, they are a different proposition, topping the table having collected 33 points from 15 games, one point more than Liverpool and four points more than Premier League leaders Manchester City who have played a game less away from the Etihad Stadium.
That record adds to Pochettino’s confidence his side can tighten their grip on a top three place and, he believes, confirms his side’s development during his time at the north London club.
“It shows the character of the team and the way we approach the games and the improvement in the last few year,” said the Argentine, who will take advantage of a gap in the schedule next weekend and take his squad to Barcelona for warm weather training. “I feel so proud, the mentality is amazing.
“The Wembley situation helped a lot. When we were in the Champions League and Europa League at Wembley 18 months ago, we started to build our mentality and it made us stronger than before.
“We adapted ourselves in a stadium like Wembley was difficult but it’s amazing how we stepped up in that area. It was so tough. Wembley helped us build that mentality and that’s important. Maybe it’s one way you can improve when you feel that all is against you and that was tough.”
Pochettino could welcome Dele Alli back into the squad for the first time since the England midfielder injured a hamstring seven weeks ago.
