Both languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League standings, Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur hope to cheer up their respective disgruntled fanbases in Sunday's Premier League encounter at St Mary's Stadium.
Spurs head down south after seeing their winless run in all competitions stretch to five matches on Thursday evening, as Ange Postecoglou's men had to come from behind to salvage a 1-1 draw with Rangers in the Europa League.
Southampton are hardly feeling the Christmas spirit either, going down 1-0 to Aston Villa last time out to ensure that they would remain at the foot of the division even if they pull off a shock win over Spurs on Sunday.
Here, Sports Mole takes an in-depth look at the head-to-head record and previous meetings between the two sides.
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Head-to-head record
Previous meetings: 203
Southampton wins: 65
Draws: 52
Spurs wins: 86
Long before the formation of the Premier League, Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur would regularly collide in the Western League, Southern League and Second Division during the early to mid 20th century, and the familiar foes have now met 203 times in all tournaments.
Spurs do hold the head-to-head edge with 86 wins over the Saints, but the South Coast side have collected a respectable 65 triumphs of their own, and 52 other battles - including an unforgettable encounter in March 2023 - have ended level.
On that fateful day in the 2022-23 season, Tottenham let a 3-1 lead slip to draw 3-3 with Southampton in their final game under Antonio Conte, who cut an apoplectic figure as he tore into his players during the post-game press conference.
Conte had also overseen a shock 3-2 home defeat to Southampton in February 2022, but Spurs managed to right those wrongs with a 4-1 North London lashing several months later, where a James Ward-Prowse opener was in vain.
All in all, Southampton have only beaten Tottenham once in their last eight meetings across all competitions, but it is not all doom and gloom for the Saints faithful, whose side tend to turn up the heat when Spurs arrive at St Mary's.
Indeed, Southampton have been beaten in just one of their last six Premier League home games against Spurs - winning twice and drawing the other three - and goals are also easy to come by for the men in red and white.
Since falling to a 2-0 home defeat in December 2015, Southampton have scored in each of their last 15 Premier League games against Tottenham, their longest-ever streak against a single opponent in the competition.
Speaking of goals, Harry Kane and Son Heung-min have been perpetual tormentors of Southampton with 12 goals in this fixture, the same tally that Saints legend Matt Le Tissier managed against Tottenham.
Last 20 meetings
Mar 18, 2023: Southampton 3-3 Spurs (Premier League)
Aug 06, 2022: Spurs 4-1 Southampton (Premier League)
Feb 09, 2022: Spurs 2-3 Southampton (Premier League)
Dec 28, 2021: Southampton 1-1 Spurs (Premier League)
Apr 21, 2021: Spurs 2-1 Southampton (Premier League)
Sep 20, 2020: Southampton 2-5 Spurs (Premier League)
Feb 05, 2020: Spurs 3-2 Southampton (FA Cup Fourth Round)
Jan 25, 2020: Southampton 1-1 Spurs (FA Cup Fourth Round)
Jan 01, 2020: Southampton 1-0 Spurs (Premier League)
Sep 28, 2019: Spurs 2-1 Southampton (Premier League)
Mar 09, 2019: Southampton 2-1 Spurs (Premier League)
Dec 05, 2018: Spurs 3-1 Southampton (Premier League)
Jan 21, 2018: Southampton 1-1 Spurs (Premier League)
Dec 26, 2017: Spurs 5-2 Southampton (Premier League)
Mar 19, 2017: Spurs 2-1 Southampton (Premier League)
Dec 28, 2016: Southampton 1-4 Spurs (Premier League)
May 08, 2016: Spurs 1-2 Southampton (Premier League)
Dec 19, 2015: Southampton 0-2 Spurs (Premier League)
Apr 25, 2015: Southampton 2-2 Spurs (Premier League)
Oct 05, 2014: Spurs 1-0 Southampton (Premier League)
Last 10 Premier League meetings
Mar 18, 2023: Southampton 3-3 Spurs (Premier League)
Aug 06, 2022: Spurs 4-1 Southampton (Premier League)
Feb 09, 2022: Spurs 2-3 Southampton (Premier League)
Dec 28, 2021: Southampton 1-1 Spurs (Premier League)
Apr 21, 2021: Spurs 2-1 Southampton (Premier League)
Sep 20, 2020: Southampton 2-5 Spurs (Premier League)
Jan 01, 2020: Southampton 1-0 Spurs (Premier League)
Sep 28, 2019: Spurs 2-1 Southampton (Premier League)
Mar 09, 2019: Southampton 2-1 Spurs (Premier League)
Dec 05, 2018: Spurs 3-1 Southampton (Premier League)
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Ben Knapton
