There is a theory that Son Heung-min is at his best when Harry Kane is missing. If Tottenham must hope that is the case, the evidence is mounting.
The South Korean had a prolific spell last season when the striker was sidelined. On Sunday, he took his tally to six goals in five matches. Four have been the last goal of the game and this, at 93 minutes and 34 seconds, as Spurs’ latest in the top flight for 11 years. His capacity to have the final say proved particularly cruel for Aston Villa.
Davinson Sanchez’s ball forward was hopeful. It should have been comfortable for Bjorn Engels but, capping a game of defensive mistakes, the centre-back let the ball roll under his feet. Son scurried clear, angled a shot past the excellent Pepe Reina and Tottenham had pilfered victory.
Their charge for a Champions League place is gathering speed; as fifth position may now book them a spot among the European elite, they have had a very profitable few days.
“A window opens for many teams, not just us,” said Jose Mourinho. The trap door may open for Villa. They merited a draw, were the better side in a first half where Jack Grealish was brilliant but ended up extending a wretched record against the frontrunners.
They have a solitary point against the top nine. Villa have scored and conceded in every game in 2020, a level of entertainment that could be their salvation. Here it was their undoing.
Son benefited twice from Engels’ generosity as he became the sixth player to register 50 Premier League goals for Tottenham. As the other five are Kane, Teddy Sheringham, Jermain Defoe, Robbie Keane and Christian Eriksen, he is in fine company.
He also illustrated that, while Mourinho had wanted a striker in January, an attack with three quick, persistent wingers, in Lucas Moura, Steven Bergwijn and him, can cause defences plenty of problems.
“A team without Harry is finding difficulties but in the middle of the difficulties we are finding a different way to play football,” said Mourinho. Villa’s absentee proved more costly as centre-back Tyrone Mings’ tonsillitis came at a cost.
“I think it is the match since I arrive when we had the most chances,” added the Portuguese, whose side had 23 shots. “A performance with a bad collective start but with fantastic mentality, great personality, great desire to win and fantastic football. I thought we deserved to win but I think they did not deserve to lose. Villa played to win.”
They began well. The January signing Reina was a goalkeeper with a passing game long before it became fashionable in England. “He gives us his distribution,” said Villa manager Dean Smith and Spaniard picked out Anwar El Ghazi on the half-way line. The winger sped away and bent in a cross. Toby Alderweireld was both tentative and slightly out of position, discomforted by the presence of Mbwana Samatta behind him. He stuck out a foot and poked the ball past Hugo Lloris.
Grealish twice almost struck and set up Douglas Luiz, who was denied by Lloris, while the lively Samatta headed wide. Instead, Spurs struck.
A corner bounced off both Eric Dier and Danny Drinkwater, neither of whom knew much about it, before Alderweireld swivelled to unleash a majestic half-volley. “A shot of his life,” said Mourinho of the defender, who became a father on Saturday. “A funny game. He scored two goals. Part of football is he scored two amazing goals, the daughter and the son.”
If that was the feelgood story, Villa were upset by Spurs’ second. Engels’ sliding challenge on Bergwijn was ruled legitimate by referee Martin Atkinson and turned into a penalty by VAR. Reina saved Son’s rather telegraphed spot kick only for the Korean to prod the rebound under the goalkeeper.
“Farcical,” said Smith, clearly no fan of VAR. “Everyone in the stadium believes it is a goal kick, even their player. That is not clear and obvious.”
Like Alderweireld before him, Engels secured swift redemption. He headed in Grealish’s corner. Indeed, he rose above Alderweireld to do so. And yet, after a hat-trick of fine saves from Reina to deny Son, there was sting in the tail for Engels. “A big error,” said Smith. “But they happen in games.”
