Koreans in Europe: Son scores to keep Spurs on top

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Koreans in Europe: Son scores to keep Spurs on top

Published: 30 Oct. 2023, 11:13 Updated: 31 Oct. 2023, 15:37

JIM BULLEY
jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr

Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min celebrates after scoring their second goal against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in London on Friday. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

Son Heung-min enjoyed another great week with Tottenham Hotspur, firing in his eighth goal of the season in a 2-1 win over Crystal Palace on Friday.

It was a weaker outing for the Premier League leaders at Selhurst Park in London, with Spurs only breaking through when Joel Ward turned a James Maddison cross into his own goal in the 53rd minute.

Son, captain of the team since Ange Postecoglou took over this season, extended the lead in the 66th to cap off a beautiful play that saw the ball bounce around practically the whole squad before Son fired it into the back of the net.

Palace got one back in injury time, but Son’s goal had already locked in the win for the Lilywhites, leaving them two points clear at the top of the table by the end of the weekend action and still undefeated this season.

“I really liked the way the boys handled it, they were patient and consistently tried to find the gaps in the ways we spoke about and real composure once we got ahead to control the game,” Postecoglou said after the game.

The big question now is whether Postecoglou — who has officially had the best start to a Premier League managerial career of any manager, ever — and Son can lead Spurs to their first league title since 1961. History says maybe they can: No side to take 26 points in the first 10 games has ever finished outside the top three since the top tier shifted to 38 games and even Arsenal’s 2003-04 “Invincibles” squad only managed 24 points in the same period.

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