Outside, Son Heung-min (33, Tottenham) was criticized as "unsuitable as a captain," but he still has strong trust within the team.

Son Heung-min started as a left winger in the away match against Ipswich Town in the 26th round of the 2024-2025 season of the English Premier League (EPL) at Portman Road Stadium in Ipswich, England, on the 23rd (Korean time). He showcased his skills by assisting Brennan Johnson's consecutive goals in the 18th and 26th minutes of the first half. The team secured a 4-1 victory, marking their third consecutive win.

With this victory, Tottenham recorded 10 wins, 3 draws, and 13 losses (33 points), maintaining 12th place in the league. Meanwhile, Ipswich, without a win in the last 7 matches, remained at 18th with 3 wins, 8 draws, and 15 losses (17 points), unable to escape the relegation zone.

Tottenham operated in a 4-2-3-1 formation, placing Mathis Tel at the forefront. Son Heung-min, Dejan Kulusevski, and Johnson supported him in the second line.

Son Heung-min recorded his first assist in the 18th minute of the first half, with the score at 0-0. Center-back Archie Gray sent a long pass over 50 meters to the left side, and Son Heung-min received it, breaking through and assisting Johnson's opening goal with a low, fast cross. Johnson successfully scored with a right-footed shot from Son Heung-min's pass.

Eight minutes later, Son Heung-min assisted Johnson again. He connected an accurate pass in front of the opposing defense on the left side, and Johnson calmly finished it off to score another goal.

With this assist, his total offensive points for the season increased to 10 goals and 10 assists (6 goals and 9 assists in the league). He has achieved 20 offensive points for nine consecutive seasons since the 2016-2017 season.

Tottenham conceded a goal in the 36th minute of the first half but continued their attack without faltering.

Angie Postecoglou, the Tottenham manager, opted for stable management by substituting Johnson for James Maddison in the 19th minute of the second half. Pedro Porro also came in for Destiny Udogie. In the 29th minute of the second half, Son Heung-min and Tel left the bench, with Wilson Odobert and Dane Scarlett coming on. Subsequently, Tottenham secured the victory with an additional goal from Jed Spence in the 32nd minute of the second half and a fourth goal from Kulusevski in the 39th minute.

Tottenham has set the stage for a rebound, recording three consecutive league wins. Following a 2-0 victory against Brentford on the 2nd and a 1-0 victory against Manchester United on the 17th, they continued their upward trend with this match.

Having been eliminated in two cup competitions due to injury impacts on the defense, Tottenham regained their momentum with the return of key players.

The last time Tottenham recorded three consecutive wins in the EPL was around 1 year and 2 months after victories against Newcastle (4-1) in November 2023 and Everton (2-1) on December 24.

Before this match, Tottenham's recent atmosphere was quite poor. They lost to Aston Villa in the 32nd round of the FA Cup. They were eliminated by Liverpool in the EFL Cup semifinals. Some fans questioned the leadership of manager Angie Postecoglou and demanded his dismissal.

In this process, captain Son Heung-min was also criticized. Some fans evaluated that his performance had declined and his leadership was lacking. Former Premier League player Jamie O'Hara even asserted that "Tottenham shows no competitiveness, passion, or leadership. The lack of leadership falls on the manager and the captain. Son Heung-min is no longer suitable as a captain."

However, teammates demonstrated their support for Son Heung-min's captaincy and indirectly targeted O'Hara. After scoring the winning goal against Manchester United on the 17th, Maddison posted a photo of Son Heung-min on his social media account, stating, "My captain," to show his support.

Also, Johnson, who scored two goals on the day, immediately posted a photo on his social media account of Son Heung-min giving a thumbs up, expressing his gratitude by saying, "Thank you for the assist."