Son Heung-Min puts in otherworldly man of the match performance in Tottenham win
By Gary Pearson
You know you put in a flawless performance when you claim man of the match ahead of Harry Kane, who scored a brace and set a Spurs’ Premier League goal-scoring record.
Son Heung-Min should bursting with pride this evening; he was that good against the Toffees. I’ve seen a lot of fantastic Son performances since the South Korean joined Spurs in 2015, few of which better than his near perfect display this evening.
His flicked header in the 15th minute flew inches over the bar, the South Korean making clear his intent from the start. Son was the benefactor of a whipped in Serge Aurier cross eleven minutes later, easily dispatching for Tottenham’s opener. While tapping in was a simple task, it was the movement beforehand that offered Aurier a clear target.
https://twitter.com/SpursOfficial/status/952283509787385863
Son has scored in five consecutive home Premier League matches, matching Jermain Defoe as the only other Tottenham player to achieve the feat. If his first half was a display worth writing home about, Son’s second half performance was of an otherworldly variety.
Son shines brighter in second half
Spinning on a dime in the 47th minute to embarrass Jonjoe Kenny, Son intelligently zipped the ball into Kane’s path, providing Spurs the springboard from which to launch. People can debate whether Son meant to pass or shoot until the cows come home, but his intention matters little as the move came off to double the home side’s advantage.
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Later in the second half Son smashed a left-footed effort flush off the post from just beyond the box, taking Jordan Pickford entirely out of the play. Son was unlucky not to have scored a brace.
And he wasn’t quite finished, the 25-year-old also playing a part in Spurs’ fourth. Son drove at Everton’s fragile and vulnerable defence, laying off to Dele Alli, whose astonishing back heel set Christian Eriksen up on a platter.
Like an overloaded locomotive, it took a while for Son to find top gear this season. He didn’t score in the first seven matches of the 2017-18 campaign, but has scored eight goals while adding four assists in the 15 games since.
Next: Harry Kane becomes Spurs record Premier League goal scorer in 4-0 win over Everton
In the lead up to this match, I pointed out the importance of players like Son, Alli and Eriksen lessening Kane’s goal-scoring burden. Secondary scoring could be the difference between Spurs clinching a top four spot and finishing on the outside looking in.
From what I saw today from Son and company, if things continue on this trajectory, Spurs won’t have any trouble pipping either Liverpool, Chelsea or Manchester United for an all-coveted Champions League berth.