Sonny was on fire, say Jose after Spurs thrash Saints

SON HEUNG-MIN showed that he has no intention of losing his shirt to Gareth Bale after firing four goals in Tottenham’s 5-2 win at Southampton yesterday.

Bale completed his return to Spurs on Saturday, but he will not be dislodging the South Korean on this evidence after a matchwinning display at St Mary’s.

Harry Kane assisted all four goals and then added one of his own at the end and the prospect of adding Bale to that front line will have Spurs fans licking their lips and leave Premier League defences with sleepless nights.

“I think second half was really good,” Spurs manager Jose Mourinho told reporters after the match.

“We started well but then we lost control in the first half. We conceded a goal that is a replica of the goal we conceded last season. Second half, great dynamic. Good impact from the subs, I love the attitude.

“Then Sonny was on fire. And then Harry Kane, for me, was man of the match for what he did for the team.

“Some people say strikers have to score goals, but with him dropping back in between the lines and creating things for Son, he caused them problems.”

Spurs fell behind to a Danny Ings goal that showed exactly why Spurs are interested in signing the striker, but then it became the Son show, with Kane as his able understudy.

He equalised on the stroke of half-time and then scored three after the break – to claim his first Premier League hattrick – before Kane got his deserved goal in the final 10 minutes.

The win kick-started their Premier League campaign after a defeat to Everton the previous week and was the perfect followup to the excitement brought by

Bale’s return.

Southampton completely capitulated after the break having been by far the better side in the first half and they have now lost all three of their games this season.

“It’s really hard to take this result,” Saints boss Ralph Hasenhuttl said.

“In the beginning I saw a very good side. When you concede before half-time, our heads were a bit down.

“We came out and had a big chance for 2-1, didn’t score and then they did. The way we defended, it was too easy, it was a disaster. It is something we will have to speak about. It was stupid.”

Ings got his second at the death with a penalty after Matt Doherty had handled, but it did not make any difference as Spurs won it in style. – The Independent/Agencies