RALPH Hasenhuttl hailed his Saints team after their ‘best home performance of the season’.

Saints made the best possible start to the new year with their 1-0 win against Spurs, thanks to a first St Mary's clean sheet of the season and a wonder goal from Danny Ings.

Hasenhuttl said: “It’s a really fantastic start, a really intense game and by far the best performance at home this season against a good side.

“We were so aggressive today and so committed against the ball but it was very, very difficult to create chances against this team.

“I can’t single out one player. Everybody did his job and Danny is unbelievable at the moment.

“The way he scored shows he’s full of self-confidence but the key is to be more successful against the ball and we kept a clean sheet today.

“This is I think is the biggest difference in the team when you see them playing now to two months ago.

“We are not free from any mistakes in our game, we are still losing balls.

“But the biggest difference is that we are not conceding immediately a goal because we are doing everything to defend the box and help and support each other.

“This is a complete change of behaviour. Self-confidence is coming now because of this hard work.

"We were very brave. We have found our shape and if you play like this it’s difficult for every team to create.

“Still not everything is perfect but we are still critical about what we are doing.

“We are focused on our performance and behaviours. We can compete with every team in the Premier League and this is a good signal for everybody.”

Saints were denied a penalty by VAR after the ball struck Alderweireld’s arm.

But Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho was more critical after a possible penalty for a foul on Dele Alli in the first half was not reviewed, while Kane had a goal chalked off for offside in the action where the striker injured himself.

“For me the referees are not the referees,” he said. “I think the VAR should change their name because Video Assistant Referee is not true.

“It should be VR - Video Referee - because they are the referees. It is strange. You see the refs on pitch and they not the refs, they are the assistants. The other guys in the office are the ones who make the big decisions of the game.”

Mourinho added: “The game was not easy in the second half, they defending with ten players fighting hard with good aggression.”