A last-gasp Teddy Sheringham penalty put Spurs top of the Premiership as Glenn Hoddle's side moved clear of Arsenal and Liverpool after a narrow win over Southampton.

Spurs lead that chasing duo - who play on Sunday and Monday against Chelsea and Newcastle - by three points.

Les Ferdinand had given Spurs an early lead, but a Mauricio Taricco own goal just before the half-hour allowed Southampton back into the game.

With the game seemingly heading for a draw Spurs mounted one last attack which saw Michael Svensson dismissed after he had handled on the line from a Simon Davies cross.

Heady times then for Spurs' fans, who had warmly greeted new signing Robbie Keane after the Irishman had completed his £7m transfer from Leeds earlier in the day.

If Keane is the new boy on the block, veteran Ferdinand is clearly not yet quite ready to step aside for the young Irishman.

His goal followed the game's first corner, which was taken by Milenko Acimovic.

The Slovenian's delivery was nodded back across the face of the goal by skipper Teddy Sheringham who was completely unmarked beyond the far post.

Ferdinand stabbed the ball towards goal and it hit Chris Marsden before crossing the line.

Three minutes later Ferdinand was in his own six-yard box to win an important clearing header from Anders Svensson's free kick as Southampton forced their way back into the game.

Gordon Strachan's side should have equalised in the 24th minute when Paul Telfer's side-foot was well saved by Kasey Keller, who pushed the ball round his right post.

Southampton's goal followed some poor defending from Spurs.

Dean Richards was beaten down the right by Brett Ormerod, who then delivered a teasing low cross.

Taricco tried to scoop the ball behind for a corner at the far post as he was under pressure from James Beattie, but the Argentine only succeeded in slicing it into his own net.

Ormerod was proving to be a handful and after 41 minutes he turned smartly and shot to once again test Keller.

After the restart, Spurs reasserted their dominance when Richards sent a header narrowly wide of the post.

Paul Jones then produced a brilliant save to deny his international team-mate Davies.

Yet Southampton, as they had done in the opening period, fought their way back into the match as they got the better of midfield, thanks mainly to the efforts of Svensson, Ormerod and Fabrice Fernandes.

Then in the game's closing minutes Svensson was red-carded for handling before Sheringham converted the penalty.