Has there ever been such a gloomy Premier League Korean derby?
Wolverhampton will face Tottenham in the 32nd round of the 2024-25 Premier League, held at the Molineux Stadium in Wolverhampton, England, at 10 p.m. (Korea time) on the 13th. With 32 points, Wolverhampton is in 17th place and at risk of relegation. Tottenham, with 37 points, is only in 15th place, having also fallen into relegation contention.
The Korean derby is the game that sports fans most look forward to, regardless of the sport. In particular, the fact that Korean players are competing against each other in the Premier League, the pinnacle of world football, amplifies anticipation.
In the past, there was a moment when Park Ji-sung of Manchester United stole the ball from Lee Young-pyo of Tottenham and assisted Wayne Rooney. The scene where the apologetic Park Ji-sung secretly held Lee Young-pyo's hand has become legendary.
However, it is difficult to expect such moments this season because Son Heung-min and Hwang Hee-chan are having their worst seasons.
Son Heung-min has scored 7 goals and provided 9 assists this season, marking his lowest performance since his debut season in 2015. While he still plays a significant role as Tottenham's captain and ace, the decline in his form is an undeniable fact.
The British 'Telegraph' noted on the 11th, "There are doubts about whether Son Heung-min still qualifies for a starting position at Tottenham. His playing time is not due to his current form, but rather his long experience. The 20-year-old Adover and 19-year-old Tel are faster and more agile. It should be seriously considered to remove Son Heung-min from the starting lineup."
Son Heung-min's struggles are evident in the statistics. He has scored only one goal in the last 17 matches for both Tottenham and the South Korean national team. That was a penalty kick in the match against Bournemouth. There have been no field goals in three months since the match against Arsenal on Jan. 15. It is also possible that Son Heung-min could be excluded from the starting lineup in the upcoming match against Wolverhampton.
"Bull" Hwang Hee-chan is in a more serious situation. Recently, Hwang Hee-chan has completely fallen out of the starting lineup. There have been many instances where he has not even played as a substitute. Hwang Hee-chan came on in the 29th minute of the second half against Everton on March 9, but he had no notable impact. Wolverhampton drew 1-1.
Hwang Hee-chan has been benched in the last 3 matches against Southampton, West Ham, and Ipswich Town, but has not played a single second. Hwang Hee-chan, who is not getting opportunities even as a substitute, has been excluded from the team.
'Molineux News' pointed out, "Manager Lio Pereira has not been paying attention to Hwang Hee-chan, who has not played at all in three matches. Even in the match against Everton, Hwang Hee-chan only played for 15 minutes. This season, Hwang Hee-chan has already had 7 matches where he sat on the bench and did not play. Last season, he had no matches where he was benched and did not play at all."
In the worst-case scenario, Son Heung-min may be pushed out of the starting lineup, and Hwang Hee-chan may only remain on the bench without playing at all. This means that there will be no confrontation on the field between the Korean players.
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