Son Heung-min’s latest Premier League goal couldn’t keep his Tottenham Hotspur from losing their fourth consecutive match and virtually falling out of the top-four race for good.
In his 300th Premier League match, Son netted his 17th goal of the season in the 77th minute of Spurs’ 4-2 loss to Liverpool at Anfield in Liverpool, England, on Sunday (local time).
Son’s goal cut Tottenham’s deficit to two after the visiting side conceded four goals within the first hour of the match, but they couldn’t keep the rally going en route to their fourth loss in a row.
It was Son’s 120th Premier League goal, tying him with Steven Gerrard for 22nd place on the all-time list. Son is just one back of Raheem Sterling of Chelsea, and the next active Premier Leaguer on the rankings is No. 10 Mohamed Salah of Liverpool, who scored his 157th goal in Sunday’s win
Son also became only the second player, after Jamie Vardy, to score in five straight matches against Liverpool.
On the scoring play, Son took a pass from Richarliso
n just behind the penalty mark and quickly fired a right-footed shot past goalkeeper Alisson Becker.
Son didn’t even celebrate, as he sprinted into the net to pick up the ball and bring it back to the halfway line to restart the play without wasting time.
That effort wasn’t nearly enough, and Spurs remained in fifth place with 60 points, seven behind Aston Villa with one match in hand.
“It was a tough afternoon. I thought we competed very well, especially before we conceded goals,” Son said afterward. “In a tough moment, everybody has to get it together and help each other. It’s a great opportunity for us to get even tighter and stronger.”
Aston Villa lost their Sunday match to Brighton and Hove Albion, but Spurs couldn’t capitalize on their opportunity to close the gap.
Tottenham’s only realistic path to fourth place — and a ticket to the UEFA Champions League next season — is to win their remaining three matches and hope Aston Villa won’t collect more than one point over their remaining two contests.
Son said he wasn’t giving up on any hope, even as it appears unlikely his team will finish the season in fourth.
“In football, sometimes magical things can happen. We keep believing in our game,” he said. “We’ll try to focus on game by game. In the last three games, I think we have to give everything we have and see what happens.”
Spurs will finish off their season against Burnley on Saturday, Manchester City on May 14 and Sheffield United on May 19.
Source: Yonhap News Agency