Tottenham, which ended its five-game winless streak (one draw and four losses), ranked fifth in the league with nine wins, three draws and four losses (30 points).
Son Heung-min helped Destiny Udogi in the 26th minute of the first half and Hishalisson in the 38th minute of the first half. As Hishalisson was replaced in the 28th minute of the second half, he became the front-line striker. He aggressively penetrated into the back of the defense and aimed for a goal, and finally scored a penalty kick in the 40th minute of the second half.
Son Heung-min, who scored his 10th goal this season, is ranked third only in the scoring category, following Erling Holland (Manchester City) with 14 goals and Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) with 11 goals.
Thursday’s showdown between Son and Trippier drew attention. Trippier was best friends with Son from 2015 to 2019 at Tottenham Hotspur.
Instead of playing as a front-line one-top striker, Son Heung-min clashed with right full-back Trippier throughout the game. The result was an overwhelming victory for Son. It seemed too much for Trippier to block Son’s breakthrough and personal talent.
Son completely beat Trippier with his personal talent in the 26th minute of the first half, helping him score the first goal. Son, who caught the ball from the left side of the box, peeled off Trippier with his personal talent and crossed a grounder, and Udogi finished with a left-footed non-stop shot.
Tottenham’s second goal was also made when Trippier was penetrated by Son Heung-min. In the 37th minute of the first half, Son Heung-min, who caught the ball from the left side, faced Trippier one-on-one. Again, he dribbled through Trippier and dug into the box to score a low cross. Hisalisson pushed in with his left foot to shake the net.
Son Heung-min’s gear, which gained momentum, also scored a goal. Porro stabbed a forward pass toward Son Heung-min, who penetrated into the back space of the defense. As soon as Son Heung-min was about to beat the goalkeeper with his individual skills in a one-on-one situation, goalkeeper Dubravka’s tackle knocked Son Heung-min over. The referee immediately declared PK. Son Heung-min, who played as a kicker, shook the net with an accurate right-footed shot toward the left side of the goal. The goalkeeper took the direction, but the ball was so fast that he couldn’t use his hands. Son Heung-min smiled brightly as he performed a ‘chalkal ceremony’ with Porro.
After the match, Son said through BBC, “It is very important to get back into the mood by winning. I didn’t want to repeat my mistakes of the past two weeks. We showed fantastic performance. I hope you continue to show such performance and be humble.”
“I said right after West Ham, I had to be ruthless in the penalty box. He showed up in today’s game and created a chance. He was sharp and he did a good job. Just like Newcastle, he won against a strong team,” he said.
He also said how he felt about his showdown with Trippier. “Trippier is one of my closest friends. We had a fantastic time at Tottenham but when we met as enemies, we played for victory,” he said. “He was an amazing defender and gave me a hard time again today.”
Son scored his 10th goal of the season, and set a new milestone. Son became the seventh player in EPL history to post double-digit scores for eight consecutive seasons. Wayne Rooney scored the most in this category, scoring double-digit goals for 11 consecutive seasons. Frank Lampard (10 seasons), Harry Kane and Sergio Aguero (9 seasons). Son, Thierry Henry, and Sadio Mane scored double-digit goals for eight consecutive seasons.
This is a milestone that even most of the top 15 players including Alan Shearer (260 goals), Jermain Defoe (162 goals), Michael Owen (150 goals) and Robin van Persie (144 goals) have failed to achieve. Expectations are high on whether Son, who signed a contract with Tottenham until 2025, will continue to break this record.
This is not the only goal. Son scored 113 goals in the EPL, tying for 23rd with Arsenal legend Ian Wright. Now, if he scores seven more goals, Son can tie for 21st with Raheem Sterling and Steven Gerrard (120 goals). Son’s past assists have also increased. With 56 assists in the EPL, he tied for 29th with Trent Alexander Arnold and Eric Cantona.
Postecoglou also praised Son. He said, “He had a good influence on the atmosphere from the beginning of the game. Every time he held the ball, he looked positive. Good leadership was displayed and the players were affected by it.” He added, “We were more threatening in the goal than before and scored a decent goal. We could have scored a few more goals. I am satisfied.”안전놀이터
He also praised Hishalisson for scoring multiple goals. “Hishalisson was very good. He gave us positive points. He brought us truly good energy. Same goes for Sardo. Their performance was great,” he said.
Regarding placing Son back on the sidelines and setting up Hishalysong as a one-top player, he said, “Hishalysong is in good shape now. His best position is at the front line. Son had the best finishing ability and believed that he would provide more ways to make him stand on the left side. As I kept mentioning, Son provided a good atmosphere from the beginning and influenced the rest of the players as well.”