Tottenham emphatically broke the stalemate of six consecutive Premiership draws to register their first league win this year and move up into the top 10 as both Chris Armstrong and Steffen Iversen profited from David Ginola's silky touches to deepen Southampton's relegation gloom at White Hart Lane.
Just for good measure Portuguese substitute Jose Dominguez, who set up an equaliser with his first touch against Derby on Saturday, notched a tap-in third goal in stoppage time as Southampton's defence was reduced to rubble.
Armstrong struck first in the 19th minute, slipping his marker to race clear and drive in Ginola's cleverly disguised low free-kick.
And when the charismatic Frenchman produced a glorious curling cross despite being hemmed in tight to the left wing corner flag in the 68th minute, Iversen rose beyond the far post to loop his header over goalkeeper Paul Jones.
Southampton only briefly enjoyed some hope of saving a point during a 20-minute spell at the start of the second half when Matthew Le Tissier and Hassan Kachloul came on as substitutes. But they found Sol Campbell was again a pillar of defiance.
Tottenham: Walker; Carr, Campbell, Young (Vega 89), Taricco, Nielsen, Sherwood, Freund, Ginola (Dominguez 89), Armstrong, Iversen. Subs not used: Baardsen, Fox, Sinton. Booked: Young. Goals: Armstrong 19, Iversen 68, Dominguez 90.
Southampton: Jones; Hiley, Benali, Lundekvam, Colleter, Oakley, Marsden, D. Hughes (Le Tissier 46), Bridge (Kachloul 56), M Hughes, Beattie (Ostenstad 79). Subs not used: Moss, Marshall. Booked: Le Tissier.
Referee: A Wilkie (Chester-le-Street).
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/YVIRIOZQ35EWRPZXR27KGMO6YU.png)