Son Heung-min (33, Tottenham) and Tottenham Hotspur aim for a rebound.
Tottenham will face Chelsea in the 30th round of the Premier League for the 2024-25 season at Stamford Bridge in London, England, at 4 a.m. on the 4th (Korean time). This is the second matchup of the season. In the previous 15th round, Tottenham lost 3-4 in a shootout.
At that time, Tottenham started strong with two quick goals but later allowed four goals and suffered a comeback loss. Son Heung-min scored a consolation goal during stoppage time in the second half but could not prevent the team's defeat. After the match, Son Heung-min showed tears in front of the fans, expressing his regret.
Son Heung-min is targeting his 8th goal of the league and his 128th career goal in the Premier League in this match against Chelsea. He currently shares 16th place in the Premier League's all-time scoring list with Chelsea legend Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, having scored 127 goals. If he adds just one more goal in this match, he will move up to 16th place alone.
This season, Son Heung-min has recorded 7 goals and 9 assists in 26 league matches. He is among the top ranks in both the scoring and assisting institutional sectors within the team. However, recent lack of decisiveness has left some disappointment. In the last match against Chelsea, he missed two good chances, and those moments significantly affected the outcome.
Tottenham has struggled recently, with 1 draw and 2 losses in the last three league matches. They are in urgent need of a turnaround to avoid falling behind in the rankings. In this match, key defenders Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, and Pedro Porro are expected to make their return. Dejan Kulusevski's participation has also been raised as a possibility.
Tottenham has shown weak performances in their away matches against Chelsea. In their last 7 away matches at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League, Tottenham has never won, recording 5 losses and 2 draws.
The last away victory dates back to April 2018. In that match, they secured a 3-1 win thanks to a multi-goal performance by Dele Alli. Since then, the away game against Chelsea has truly become a 'hellish' place for Tottenham.
This season's trend is similar. Tottenham, which suffered a 3-4 comeback loss to Chelsea at home in the last 15th round, faces an even greater burden in this away match. On the other hand, Chelsea has shown a stronger performance at home, recently extending their winning streak against Tottenham to three matches.
Nikola Jackson and Cole Palmer, who were injured, have prepared for their return ahead of this match. Particularly, Cole Palmer has had an outstanding season, recording 11 goals and 6 assists in 20 league matches. With Chelsea's attacking power coming back to life, this match is expected to be a significant test for Tottenham's defense.
This match is more important to Son Heung-min than ever. He needs to recover his decisiveness and show himself as a true leader who can save the team from crisis. A grand stage like the London derby provides an opportunity to wash away the disappointment of past defeats.
A challenge for records, a chance to turn the team's fortunes around. Attention will be on whether Son Heung-min's Tottenham can break the winless streak at Stamford Bridge that has lasted for 7 years.
[OSEN]