Tottenham Hotspur, which has effectively secured its Premier League survival, is experiencing internal conflicts within the team, and captain Son Heung-min has stepped up to actively help restore team morale.

British 'Talk Sport' reported on the 8th (Korean time) that 'Immediately after the game, Son Heung-min and his teammates approached to console Brennan Johnson, who was dejected, to uplift the atmosphere.'

On the 6th, Tottenham broke free from a losing streak by defeating Southampton 3-1 in the Premier League Round 31 match held at London Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. With this victory, Tottenham secured 37 points, effectively distancing itself from relegation and successfully changing the team’s atmosphere.

In this match, Tottenham positioned Son Heung-min, Dominic Solanke, and Brennan Johnson in Chonbang, while the midfield consisted of James Maddison, Rodrigo Bentancur, and Lucas Veribal. The defense was guarded by Jed Spence, Ben Davies, Cristian Romero, and Pedro Porro, and the goalkeeper's gloves were worn by Guglielmo Vicario.

From the early phases of the match, Tottenham pushed hard, leading the atmosphere while pressuring the opposing defense, and particularly Son Heung-min played a pivotal role in the attack by providing a pass that led to the opening goal in the 13th minute of the first half. Although he did not record a goal or an assist, his influence in changing the flow of the game remained significant.

At the end of the match, an unexpected scene unfolded. In the second half’s added time, Johnson induced a penalty kick after colliding with an opposing defender in the box. While Johnson, who had already scored two goals, seemed to have a chance for a hat trick, the penalty taker was unexpectedly determined to be the substituted 'loanee' Mathis Tell. Tell calmly found the back of the net, wrapping up the match at 3-1.

According to local media reports, it is said that this decision was influenced by Cristian Romero after Son Heung-min had been substituted out and left the pitch. Romero received the ball from Pedro Porro just before the penalty kick and passed it to Tell, and this scene was captured perfectly by the broadcast cameras.

After the match, Johnson revealed in an official club interview, 'While I did want to be the taker, I didn’t want to create discord in that situation. I respected the decision that had already been made and had no choice but to follow it.' Following this situation, teammates including Son Heung-min, Spence, and Van den Ven did their best to console him and prevent heightened emotions.

This match against Southampton was significant for Tottenham in many ways. The team, which had been shaken with 1 draw and 3 losses in the previous four matches, barely shifted the momentum with Son Heung-min’s equalizer against Bournemouth and laid the groundwork for another rebound after consecutive losses to Fulham and Chelsea. This victory against the bottom-ranked Southampton was valuable not only from a tactical perspective but also as a starting point for restoring teamwork.

This season, Son Heung-min has recorded 7 goals and 9 assists in the league. While these numbers are slightly lower than usual, his impact during matches is still considered absolute. Although it is disappointing to note that this is the lowest scoring figure since the 2015-2016 season, Son Heung-min remains a central figure for Tottenham. Just looking at this situation alone, it can be seen that he has actively participated in creating an atmosphere beyond the pitch.

Tottenham is now continuing its challenge on the European stage, which is the only goal for the end of the season. On the 11th, they will host Bundesliga’s Eintracht Frankfurt in the first leg of the UEFA Europa League quarterfinals and plan to reignite the only opportunity for victory this season.

[OSEN]