Son Heung-min hits a double as Spurs beat Everton 4-0

Football

Son Heung-min hits a double as Spurs beat Everton 4-0

Published: 25 Aug. 2024, 09:13

JIM BULLEY
jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr

Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min celebrates scoring the final goal during a Premier League match against Everton in London on Saturday. [EPA/YONHAP]

Son Heung-min scored his first and second goals of the 2024-25 Premier League season on Saturday to lead Tottenham Hotspur to a resounding 4-0 win over Everton at home in London.

Spurs captain Son put away the team’s second and fourth goals, managing the first on his own and then combining with Micky van de Ven for the second.

Yves Bissouma opened the scoring at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, put through by the increasingly reliable Dejan Kulusevski in the 14th minute.

Son, who had been told by Ange Postecoglou to give Everton keeper Jordan Pickford as much trouble as possible, was relentless in picking away at the England veteran. It didn’t take long to pay off — Pickford fumbled the ball in the 25th minute and Son was on him immediately, picking his pocket for the second goal of the game.

Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min runs around Everton's Jordan Pickford to score the team's second goal at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Saturday. [AFP/YONHAP]

Cristian Romero added No. 3 with a header set up by James Maddison in the 71st minute, with Son beating Pickford for No. 4 six minutes later.

The final goal came off the back of a pitch-long run from van de Ven, creating the most dramatic moment of the match as the Dutch center-back burst out of central defense and carried the ball well into the opposing half to set up Son and give the home crowd something to really cheer about.

It was a resounding win for Postecoglou’s side and a return of the drive and intensity that marked so many of their early games last season but was often missing at the end of the season and in last week’s season opening draw with Leicester.

“The performance was excellent,” Postecoglou said on Saturday. “I said after the game, I thought the performance last week was excellent too, but you've got to also turn that sort of dominant performance into outcomes and results.

“We did today, we looked really threatening going forward all the time. We created many chances, different kinds of chances, and I thought we handled their threat which they still are from set pieces and long balls really well today.”

Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min scores the fourth goal of a game against Everton at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Saturday. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

On this occasion, Spurs were helped along by an Everton squad that seemed determined to lose and lose big. They started off flat, appeared completely disheartened after Bissouma’s opener and never got back into the game.

“We can’t continue to make mistakes at this level,” Everton manager Sean Dyche said. “Every time we build something, we let it go again. It is difficult here and we are stretched. But it’s a strange situation. In my 19 months we build something and go back down the hill again to remind ourselves of the challenge. What about playing when it’s 0-0?”

Son discussed both his goals with reporters after the game.

“Pickford has a very strong kick,” Son told Sports Chosun’s Lee Gun after the match. “I could see that he wanted to kick it but he was taking his time, and I think it’s the striker’s job to make it uncomfortable. That’s what you’re always looking for — today it paid off.

“Van de Ven sprinted an incredible distance and gave me a perfectly timed pass. My control was good, even though the angle was not. I felt good because the shot went in, but van de Ven created that situation with a great interception, run and pass.”

Spurs face a challenge next week as they head back on the road to take on Newcastle at St. James’ Park in Newcastle. It’s been a difficult fixture for them over the last few seasons, losing 4-0 in April this year and 6-1 in 2023.

“I try to think of every game like it’s a final,” Son said on Saturday. “I hope we can show a good performance. I think it will be a difficult game because Newcastle’s stadium has a long history and the fans are incredible passionate. I think we need to prepare well and try to bring a better performance and a better result this time.”

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