We have Mour to do – Son
Freddie’s hit by Seagulls
HEUNGMIN SON admits it is a privilege to have Jose Mourinho as his manager at Tottenham.
But the South Korean insists his new boss still has plenty of work to do to turn Spurs into winners.
Mourinho’s three-game winning streak came to a halt at Old Trafford on Wednesday when his return to Manchester United ended in defeat.
Son said: “I have a good relationship with the gaffer. I’m looking forward to working with him and it’s an honour to work with this manager.
“I’m still learning so many things about him. Of course some of the things we have to do better.
“United is historically one of the biggest teams, so we have to compete against those teams. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose.
“Of course you don’t want to lose but this is football and we have to do more.”
FREDDIE Ljungberg’s homecoming ended in miserable defeat, loud boos and the descent into Arsenal’s biggest dip of his lifetime.
Goals from Adam Webster and Neal Maupay either side of Alexandre Lacazette’s header consigned Arsenal to nine games in all competition since they last won.
That is a depth they have not sunk since March 1977, the month before the temporary Arsenal manager and Gunners playing legend was born.
And the three points were no more than the Seagulls deserved.
They came into the game on the back of three successive defeats. But from the first minute Aaron Connolly was snapping at David Luiz’s heels and they looked sharp, confident and determined to take the game to Arsenal.
Then there was the home side. Luiz shrugged defiantly after chasing back to turn the ball out.
Mesut Ozil flapped his arms when Joe Willock expected him to take part in a ‘give and go.’
Then there was Willock throwing himself on the ground like an exasperated toddler when Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang did not make the run he expected.
It was to be the last act for the youngster, asked to be the cog at the heart of a side that did not get going.
Webster had enjoyed the freedom of the Emirates to give Brighton the lead in the 36th minute from a set-piece and it was no more than the visitors deserved.
Ten minutes earlier, Connolly had come within inches of converting at the far post and in between a quicktaken free-kick allowed Maupay to test the strength of Bernd Leno’s fingertips after a clear run on goal.
But Arsenal emerged from the dressing room a different side, with Nicolas Pepe belatedly thrown in to the fray.
Just five minutes later a flick header from Lacazette floated inside the far post to level the scores.
Luiz thought he had put the hosts in front with a header from a free-kick, only for VAR to rule, without controversy for once, that he was offside.
Such is Arsenal’s frailty, that Brighton still had their chances – Maupay’s control letting him down just two yards from goal.
As the half-time fire Ljungberg put into them smouldered away, Arsenal’s slowly stopped. So by the time Aaron Mooy swung the ball in 10 minutes from time for Maupay to nod unmarked into the empty net, the defence was entirely frozen.
Mat Ryan did well to stop Gabriel Martinelli heading an ill-deserved equaliser and Pepe fired a late freekick wide. It was all very half-hearted.