South Korea forward Son Heung-Min has continued his blistering form from the last two seasons and scored a blistering hattrick on Saturday to bring him closer to the Reds’ Mohamed Salah in the race for the Golden Boot, with 17 goals to his name.
Son easily stole the show hands down on Saturday after scoring a delightful hattrick in his side’s 4-0 defeat of Aston Villa and was highly praised for his performance by being complimented that he’s a natural to start for every team in the Premier League, not least of which are Liverpool and Manchester City who are currently competing at the very top as they go within a breath of each other for the title. The South Korean striker would easily do himself proud alongside the likes of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Kevin de Bruyne and Raheem Sterling.
Former Spurs striker Darren Bent is certain that the South Korean would fit perfectly into either the Etihad or Anfield sides, and would even start ahead of Mane under Jurgen Klopp at Anfield. His treble at Villa Park over the weekend took Son’s tally to 17 Premier League goals for the season and Bent feels that his ability on the left hand side would easily afford him entry into any team.
Bent told talkSPORT:
“Yes, I think he does [get into any Premier League side] now. The only exception was I always used to think, would he get ahead of Sadio Mane?
“Probably a couple of seasons ago, not last season because Mane had a bit of a down year, but Heung-min Son steps up all the time. He scores goals, creates goals, and can finish with either foot.
“I think on that left-hand side he would get into any Premier League team. City as well. He carries such a goal-threat. He’s intelligent with his movement, he consistently scores goals every season. I think you would put him in there.”
Bent is convinced that 29-year-old Son is more consistent in his performances than Mane and there is certainly more than adequate proof over the past two seasons to justify his belief as even in just the last campaign Son registered 17 top flight goals compared to Mane’s 11. To top that, in the current campaign, Son has already registered the same amount, with the Senegalese forward scoring only 13.
Having already equalled his tally from last season in nine fewer games, Son has shown he is still continuing to improve in north London. His impressive link-up play with teammate Harry Kane has also resulted in the pair becoming one of the deadliest strike duos in the top flight the last two campaigns.
Aided by his impressive speed and dribbling skills that allow him to glide past his opponents, the South Korean has an uncanny eye for goals, having played a major part in helping Spurs ascend the ladder into the top four. Goals aside, Son has also been key in providing assists for his comrades, with seven to his name so far this season.
Of course, breaking into Pep Guardiola’s title-chasing squad is easier said than done, yet Bent backs Son to start ahead of the likes of Raheem Sterling, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish on that crucial left wing, with his main advantage over them being that he has already registered more goals than all of them, while their combined total of 19 is just two more than the Tottenham striker’s.
There’s no doubting that Son has been integral to Spurs’ resurrection in the second half of this season as they have breathtakingly surged into the top four, with optimistic chances of achieving Champions League football next season.
Should that happen, he will once again be a cyclops of a player under Antonio Conte – who may even have to worry about keeping him on his books if he continues performing so brilliantly.
Credit: Football Tribe Malaysia
