SON OF A GUN!
Two-goal Spurs hero sets up Arsenal derby
SON HEUNG-MIN scored twice to help lift the mood at Spurs with a Carabao Cup triumph at West Ham — and set up a north London derby in the quarter-finals.
The South Korean’s first goals of the season, along with Arsenal’s unconvincing home win against Blackpool, mean Spurs will visit the Emirates for a mouth-watering tie in the next round.
Arsenal manager Unai Emery said: ‘I think this is a chance for both clubs to create a big moment — but only one can win.’
NOTHING lifts the gloom over Tottenham quite like victory over West Ham. Defeat against Manchester City on Monday raised questions over Spurs’ staying power.
Now they are facing a Carabao Cup quarter-final against Arsenal, thanks to two goals from Son Heung- min and another from Fernando Llorente.
Crisis? What crisis? Of course, Mauricio Pochettino has far bigger priorities. But a chance to end Spurs’ long trophy drought is edging closer.
And the prospect of beating their neighbours on route will have supporters frothing at the mouth.
‘It will be an exciting game, I’m excited to face Arsenal. Unai Emery is good friend and a top manager and doing a great job,’ said Pochettino, who knows the Gunners’ boss from their time managing in Spain.
‘In our history Arsenal are a great rival — but I love Unai and have great respect for him.’
Spurs’ win was all the more impressive after Pochettino showed precisely what he thinks of the Carabao Cup by making 10 changes from the team that started against City.
However, a starting XI that included Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen, who were continuing their returns from injuries, as well as Harry Winks and Son, underlined the strength of his squad.
Pellegrini made five changes from Saturday’s draw at Leicester. The tragic events following that clash at the King Power Stadium were marked before kick- off, with former West Ham striker Tony Cottee and ex- Spurs captain Ledley King laying wreaths in memory of Foxes owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha and the passengers and crew who died when their helicopter crashed.
Thankfully for Spurs, their players didn’t share the apparent apathy of their manager and they sped into a 16th-minute lead.
The move was incisive, the finish brutally unerring. When Eriksen fizzed a pass in to Alli’s feet, the England midfielder had his work cut out even trying to control the ball. But somehow Alli conjured a genius first-time flicked pass to Son, who fired past Adrian into the top left corner.
Pellegrini will point to Angelo Ogbonna’s poor clearance in the build-up to Son’s strike. But that shouldn’t detract from the quality of Spurs’ opener.
West Ham were wasteful in possession but Michail Antonio and Javier Hernandez both had a pair of chances before Spurs doubled their lead eight minutes after the restart. The formula was identical to the first — Alli into Son. But in this instance the Korean owed his gratitude to Hammers defender Arthur Masuaku, who made a complete hash of his attempt to clear Alli’s pass, which allowed Son all the time he needed to round Adrian and fire home.
That was enough for some Hammers fans, who immediately headed for the exit.
Pellegrini, who had already introduced Robert Snodgrass in place of Felipe Anderson at half-time, sent for Marko Arnautovic and Lucas Perez in hope of a riposte.
It came in the 71st minute when Perez nodded home at the far post to set up a grandstand finish.
But Llorente volleyed home Eriksen’s cross four minutes later to see Tottenham home.
WEST HAM UNITED (4-2-3-1): Adrian 6; Fredericks 6, Diop 6.5, Ogbonna 5.5, Masuaku 5; Obiang 6 (Perez 58min, 7), Rice 6.5; Diangana 7, Anderson 5 (Snodgrass 46, 6), Antonio 6; Hernandez 6 (Arnautovic 58, 6.5). Subs not used: Fabianski, Balbuena, Powell, Coventry. Scorer: Perez 71. Manager: Manuel Pellegrini 6.5.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (4-2-3-1): Gazzaniga 6.5; Aurier 6.5, Sanchez 6.5, Foyth 7, Walker-Peters 6; Wanyama 6.5, Winks 7; SON 8, Alli 7.5 (N’Koudou 63, 6), Eriksen 7.5 (Skipp 84); Llorente 7 (Sissoko 77). Subs not used: Vorm, Moura, Eyoma, Marsh. Scorer: Son 16, 54, Llorente 75. Manager: Mauricio Pochettino 7.5. Referee: Stuart Attwell 6.5. Attendance: 50,270.