All the pre-match build-up had focused on the Argentine manager whose Spurs side began the day in joint 11th place after two draws and two defeats in four league matches since beating Queens Park Rangers 4-0 in the second week of the season.
In contrast, Ronald Koeman, Pochettino's successor at St Mary's, had steered the Saints to third place in the table following six successive victories, four in the league and two in the Capital One (League) Cup.
Ultimately, a 40th minute goal from Christian Eriksen was enough to give Spurs all three points moving Spurs up to sixth in the table to make a mockery of some off-beam tabloid speculation that Pochettino was already under pressure at White Hart Lane even though he is just three months into a five-year contract.
Statistics can be interpreted in many different ways and while Spurs had won only one of their previous seven matches in all competitions before this game, this victory means they have also only lost one of their last seven.
Either way, Pochettino believes Spurs are slowly making progress as he and his technical aides change the way they have played for the last few seasons.
"We are seeing improvements. We are showing that something special is starting, we are starting to live like a team, be like a team. We are growing in our performances," he said.
DEFENSIVE RESILIENCE
Spurs showed some real defensive resilience in last week's 1-1 draw at Arsenal but were even stronger at the back on Sunday by keeping a clean sheet against Southampton, who squandered a golden chance to equalise six minutes from time when Sadio Mane failed to connect properly with only Spurs keeper Hugo Lloris to beat.
"It was an emotional game for me," Pochettino told reporters.
"I loved Southampton and the people in Southampton, it was a great 18 months in my life and for my family and it was a tough decision to leave.
"It didn't really help me against Southampton today though. They are a different team than the one I left four or five months ago."
Southampton's supporters have also changed in the last four or five months -- at least as far as their feelings towards Pochettino are concerned.
But even though they offered him plenty of very loud and clear verbal abuse throughout the game, it never fazed him although clearly his enduring love for the people of Southampton is not entirely mutual and upset Koeman afterwards.
"That's the reaction of the fans," he said, "but everyone should be respected.
"I respect Mauricio -- he did a great job at Southampton and now he is the manager of Tottenham, it is a great challenge for him here."
Koeman though, whose side started the day in third place following their best start to a top flight season for 31 years, took plenty of positives despite the defeat.
"I am disappointed about the final result, but not by our performance. But they did a great pressing job on us and it was hard to create opportunities," he said.
"Maybe we had the best chance of the game in the second half for Mane, but missing chances is part of football."
He also said that although Saints have made a good start to the season, it was early days in the campaign.
"Tottenham is a big team, Manchester United, Arsenal, all big teams and we are still learning.
"You expect to see big teams at the top of the table but there are always one or two surprises. We are playing some great football and we will not change our philosophy just because we lost today."
(Editing by Rex Gowar)
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