Son gets the assist as Kane equals Spurs' scoring record in Fulham win

Football

Published: 24 Jan. 2023, 14:21 Updated: 24 Jan. 2023, 16:09

Son gets the assist as Kane equals Spurs' scoring record in Fulham win

Tottenham Hotspur's Harry Kane shoots to score the opening goal of a Premier League match between Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur at Craven Cottage in London on Sunday. [AFP/YONHAP]

For years Tottenham Hotspur was the Son Heung-min and Harry Kane show, statistically the greatest goal-scoring partnership the Premier League has ever seen combining time and time again for the London club.

The goals have dried up recently. Son has scored four and assisted three so far this season as he struggles with injuries and a slow start to the season, making successful link ups with Kane and increasingly rare sight.

But on Monday, when it really mattered, the Son-Kane show was back in action, with the Korean midfielder there to assist Kane’s record-tying 266th goal for the London club.

Tottenham Hotspur beat Fulham 1-0 in a quiet Premier League game at Craven Cottage in London on Monday. The sole goal, scored in injury time at the end of the first half, handed Spurs their first win in three games and saw Kane’s name again enter the record books.

Kane’s 266th strike for Spurs ties the record set by the late Jimmy Greaves as the club’s all-time top scorer.

The game-changing goal came when Pierre-Emile Højbjerg fed the ball through to Son, who dribbled up the pitch and slipped a pass to Kane. The England captain turned on the spot, spinning away from Tim Ream to create his own space and then firing a shot around the defense before anyone could get close enough to bother him.

The shot was a textbook Kane goal, set up beautifully by Son and effortlessly fired past the defense to once again carry Spurs through what was an otherwise fairly unimpressive performance for the London club.

Kane’s personal brilliance aside, there was nothing on display at Fulham to suggest that Spurs are turning a corner.

Tottenham's Son Heung-min wins a header under pressure from Fulham's Dutch defender Kenny Tete during a Premier League match between Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur at Craven Cottage in London on Monday. [AFP/YONHAP]

It remains a club in crisis, with a manager who increasingly seems to have one foot out the door, a director of football who may or may not be banned in the next few weeks and a starting XI that seem increasingly unable to play well together.

Set against the background, Spurs’ performance in recent games. So far this year they’ve lost, Aston Villa, Arsenal and Manchester City, beating Fulham, Portsmouth and Crystal Palace but still slipping down to fifth in the table.

Conte, however, maintains that the Fulham win marks a turning point for the club.

“I spoke to the players and I said today has to be a starting point for us,” Conte said after the game. “Many times, many times especially after the defeats, you can learn much more than from a win.

“After the game against Manchester City and also especially the game against Arsenal, it was important to make good reflection with our players and to understand maybe something we lost. We lost something compare to last season.”

Conte admitted that defense is a concern — Spurs conceded 21 goals in 10 games — but said the team is working it out.

“When you concede 21 goals in 10 games, it means there is something wrong and can not only be a tactical aspect,” Conte said. “For this reason I think that we work, we worked about the mentality and in the mind, in the heart and in the desire to sacrifice for the team to help each other.

“I think that it has to be a starting point, but we will see quickly. On Saturday we have a tough game away and we have to be ready to show also that we learned about those two defeats against Arsenal and Manchester City.”

Spurs now have a two week break from the Premier League as they will be active in the fourth round of the FA Cup next weekend, when they take on championship side Preston North End at the historic Deepdale stadium in Preston, north England.

BY JIM BULLEY [jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr]