Heung-Min Son netted an astonishing four-goal haul - all made by Harry Kane - as a second-half blitz saw Tottenham demolish Southampton 5-2 at St Mary's.
In a game which barely stopped for breath from beginning to end Kane was denied a third-minute opener by VAR before Danny Ings saw a strike ruled out for handball, but soon made amends by firing in a superb strike from Kyle Walker-Peters' ball (32).
Spurs looked nearly as despondent as in their opening-day defeat Jose Mourinho had labelled "lazy" before half-time but were handed a lifeline when Son finished off from another difficult position from Kane's wonderful delivery (45+2).
The phrase 'a game of two halves' barely did justice to what would follow after the interval, with Son putting Spurs in front within two minutes from a Kane through-ball (47) - before netting twice more in near-identical circumstances (64, 74).
There was still time for Kane to get on the scoresheet himself when he turned in the rebound after Erik Lamela struck the post (82), before Ings grabbed a late consolation from the spot after Matt Doherty was adjudged to have handballed a cross (90)
Player ratings
Southampton: McCarthy (5), Walker-Peters (6), Stephens (4), Bednarek (4), Bertrand (5), Romeu (5), Ward-Prowse (6), Armstrong (5), Djenepo (7), Ings (7), Adams (5).
Subs: Smallbone (5), Tella (7), Long (n/a).
Tottenham: Lloris (6), Doherty (6), Sanchez (5), Dier (5), Davies (6), Winks (7), Hojbjerg (6), Ndomble (6), Moura (5), Kane (9), Son (10).
Subs: Lo Celso (7), Lamela (7), Bergwijn (n/a).
Man of the match: Heung-Min Son
Team news
Southampton made two changes from their opening-day defeat at Crystal Palace, with Moussa Djenepo replacing the injured Nathan Redmond and Stuart Armstrong in for Will Smallbone.
Jose Mourinho left Dele Alli out of his Tottenham squad again, but did give Tanguy Ndombele his first start since March, with Davinson Sanchez replacing Toby Alderweireld in defence.
Man of the match - Heung-Min Son
Kane can count himself unlucky to make four goals and score another and still not be the best player on the pitch.
Mourinho certainly thought he was - but the nature of Son's finishes, and the confidence with which he approached them, can't be overlooked.
His movement, often facilitated by Kane dropping so deep, was timed to perfection against an admittedly porous Southampton backline, and was wonderful all afternoon. But that was nothing on his finishing - which was exemplified with his stunning equaliser on the stroke of half-time.
Without that, there might not have even been another three for Kane to assist.
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