Antonio Conte rates Tottenham's performance after defeat to Southampton

A downbeat Antonio Conte bemoaned Tottenham’s ‘mistakes’ on the ball following the side’s 3-2 defeat to Southampton, but said his players ‘gave everything’ in their performance.

Son Heung-min struck to put Spurs 2-1 in front with 20 minutes remaining, but Mohamed Elyounoussi and Che Adams netted in quick succession and the visiting Saints held firm to secure all three points in north London.

The two teams had earlier gone into the break with the scoreline all square after Armando Broja cancelled out Jan Bednarek’s unfortunate own goal.

Tottenham’s loss – their second in as many Premier League games – means the club remain four points adrift of fourth-placed West Ham and Conte’s men will be desperate to bounce back with victory over Wolves this weekend.

Conte was particularly disappointed with Spurs’ first-half display and felt there are ‘many parts of the game’ that his players must look to improve if they are to become a genuine force at the top end of the division.

‘It was a pity because in the first half we struggled against them, but in the second half we played well and scored a goal,’ the Tottenham head coach told BT Sport.

‘But then in that moment you have to try to keep the result until the end.

‘We had other chances to score as well but last time against Leicester we were losing 2-1 and lost 3-2, but this time we were leading 2-1 and lost 3-2.

‘There is a long way in front of us and we have to be better at managing the game in different situations. There are many parts of the game and we can improve in this aspect.’

The Italian added: ‘The message at half-time was, in the first half we made many mistakes and many times the pass was not good and we risked complicating our life today.

‘This is a part of the process and you have to try to improve, to understand when there is a bit of pressure you have to be more accurate in the pass and decision making.

‘The players gave everything tonight and that is why it was a pity to lose the game. When you give everything and lose, that is no good.’

Conte hopes his young squad are able to grow and improve as they get more experience in the Premier League.

‘In the first half every time we moved the ball we found the situation for chances to score,’ he went on.

‘In the first half maybe we made some mistakes on the ball and it gave us a bit of instability. We have to try to improve in this aspect.

‘I know very well that this team is young, many players have to play to get the experience especially in this league.

‘ I knew there was a big job to go.’

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