Son Heung-min (33, Tottenham) created a turnaround against Southampton.

Tottenham won 3-1 against Southampton, led by Brennan Johnson's multiple goals, in the '2024-2025 Premier League Round 31' held at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England, at 10 p.m. (Korean time) on the 6th. Marking 37 points, Tottenham broke their losing streak.

Ahead of the match, the starting lineup was revealed. Tottenham's attack consists of Son Heung-min, Dominic Solanke, and Brennan Johnson. The midfield features James Maddison, Rodrigo Bentancur, and Lucas Berybal. The defense includes Jed Spence, Ben Davies, Cristian Romero, and Pedro Porro, with Guglielmo Vicario as the goalkeeper.

Tottenham struggled recently, managing only 1 draw and 3 losses in the last four league matches leading up to the Southampton game. They lost 0-1 to Manchester City, where Son Heung-min was left out of the starting lineup. They drew 2-2 against Bournemouth, where Son Heung-min scored the equalizer, but subsequently lost consecutively to Fulham (0-2) and Chelsea (0-1).

However, against Southampton, who are at the bottom of the league, they unleashed a fierce attack and created an opportunity for a turnaround. It was particularly impressive that several players, including Son Heung-min, showed balanced performances. Johnson also received praise for his good form, assisted by Son Heung-min.

This season, Son Heung-min has scored 7 goals and provided 9 assists. While his performance remains outstanding, it is somewhat lacking compared to his usual standards. This is the lowest goal tally since he recorded 4 goals in his debut season with Tottenham in 2015-16. Although Son Heung-min, who started the game, did not record attacking points, he played a pivotal role in the opening goal, performing actively.

From the start of the match, Tottenham launched a relentless offensive. In the 9th minute of the first half, during a corner kick situation, Romero made a powerful header that was saved by Ramsdale. In the 11th minute, Berybal stirred up the opposing defense and attempted a shot, but it did not connect properly.

Persistently attacking, Tottenham broke the deadlock in the 13th minute. Notably, the key attacking pattern of Tottenham, involving Spence and Son Heung-min on the left flank, worked effectively. Son Heung-min passed to Spence, who was overlapping on the left side. Johnson finished off the direct cross.

Additionally, in the 26th minute of the first half, Tottenham took a free kick, where Romero executed a sharp diving header. However, the shot was thwarted by the unfortunate deflection off the face of goalkeeper Ramsdale. Although disappointing, in the 35th minute of the first half, during a free kick situation, Porro attempted a free kick, Romero touched the ball, and Berybal, positioned in front of the goal, fired a shot for a potential second goal.

However, after more than 5 minutes of video assistant referee (VAR) checks, an offside call against Romero resulted in the cancellation of the goal. Nevertheless, in the 41st minute of the first half, a chaotic situation unfolded in Southampton's box. During this sequence, Maddison headed the ball, which Johnson finished off to record his multiple goals.

The first half ended with a score of 2-0. Securing a comfortable 2-goal lead, Tottenham adjusted their pace in the second half to prepare for the next match. They will face Germany's Frankfurt in the first leg of this season's UEFA Europa League quarterfinals at the same venue on the 11th.

In the 13th minute of the second half, Son Heung-min and Bentancur were substituted for Pape Sarr and Odobert to manage their stamina. Maintaining their focus, Tottenham continued to withstand pressure. However, in the 44th minute of the second half, they allowed a consolation goal to Southampton's Mateus Fernandes.

Still, in stoppage time of the second half, Tottenham earned a penalty kick (PK) after Johnson's breakthrough. Johnson, who was on the verge of a hat trick, graciously passed the PK to newcomer Mathis Tel. Tel calmly converted, concluding the match with Tottenham's 3-1 victory.

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