Dele Alli scored twice as Tottenham maintained their challenge for a Champions League spot with a 4-1 victory over 10-man Southampton on Wednesday night.

Saints took the lead in the second minute when defender Virgil van Dijk demonstrated his aerial threat by nodding in James Ward-Prowse's free-kick.

Their joy would be short-lived, however, as the visitors were level just before midway in the half when Alli out-jumped Van Dijk to direct Moussa Sissoko's deflected cross past keeper Fraser Forster.

Shortly after the break, Harry Kane ended his run of three league games without a goal to make it 2-1.

And the England forward should have extended his side's advantage moments later when Southampton's Nathan Redmond brought down Alli in the area to concede a penalty and earn a red card.

However Kane fired the spot-kick over the bar. But it took Spurs until the last five minutes to finally put the match to bed.

Substitute Son Heung-min confidently swept a shot beyond Fraser Forster before Alli curled his second around the goalkeeper two minutes later.

The win sees fifth-placed Spurs close to within a point of north London rivals Arsenal, while Southampton head into their final fixture of 2016 in eighth.

Read more: http://www.footballmole.com/2016/12/wednesday-pl-recap-southampton-1-4.html