All preparations are being aligned towards the final.

Tottenham lost 0-2 to Crystal Palace in the 36th round of the 2024-2025 English Premier League (EPL) at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England, on the 11th (Korean time).

As a result of the match, Tottenham (11 wins, 5 draws, 20 losses, 38 points) dropped to 17th place. They have secured their stay regardless of the remaining match results, but it is true that their ranking is one that hurts their pride. Palace (12 wins, 13 draws, 11 losses, 49 points) is in 12th place.

With 20 losses this season in the EPL, Tottenham has set the record for the most losses in a single season since the EPL's inception in 1992. They exceeded the previous record of 19 losses set in the 1993-1994 and 2003-2004 seasons.

Tottenham is focusing on winning the UEFA Europa League (UEL) rather than the EPL. They have reached the finals and will contend for the trophy against Manchester United on the 22nd. The league is practically secondary.

The positive news is that Son Heung-min, who had been sidelined due to injury, marked his return in the match against Palace.

Son Heung-min had been absent from seven consecutive games until the day of this match due to a foot injury sustained during the UEL quarterfinal second leg against Frankfurt on the 11th of last month. He also could not play in the UEL semifinal second leg against Bodø/Glimt on the 9th.

Son Heung-min, who had been away from the pitch for a while, was substituted in for Poro when the team was trailing 0-2 during the match against Palace.

In the 25th minute of the second half, Son Heung-min attempted a surprise shot from the left side of the box, looking to the opposite side. It was deflected off a defender. A prior offside was also called. In the 28th minute of the second half, he took a free kick. This too was blocked by the defense, failing to lead to a goal.

Son Heung-min continued to struggle. In the 44th minute of the second half, he received a through pass and took a shot from the left side of the box. But once again, it was blocked by the defense. The match concluded with Tottenham's loss by two goals without scoring.

According to the European football statistics site 'Footmob', Son Heung-min recorded 11 ball touches in 32 minutes (excluding stoppage time), with 1 shot, a passing success rate of 86% (6 successful / 7 attempts), 4 touches in the opponent's box, 2 passes in the attacking area, a long pass success rate of 100% (1 successful / 1 attempt), 1 defensive action, 0 chances created, a crossing success rate of 0% (0 successful / 1 attempt), and 2 ball recoveries.

'Footmob' assigned Son Heung-min the lowest rating of 5.6 among the players who appeared for Tottenham.

'Football London' noted, "Returning Son Heung-min was placed as a central striker, but he had few opportunities to receive the ball. He only had one chance near the end of the match after receiving a pass from Tel," giving him a rating of 5. This is not the lowest rating on the team, as defender Spence received a rating of 3 for his assessment, which stated, "He appeared shaky in the first half, losing the ball or making poor positioning choices that allowed Palace several opportunities."

Manager Ange Postecoglou was fired up about the UEFA Europa League final. He said, "We know nothing. We lost a key player like Lucas Vázquez the day before the match. Therefore, there could be opportunities for anyone. With 10 days left until the final, I have not worried about the starting lineup yet."

The key for Tottenham that day was the return of Son Heung-min. Postecoglou emphasized, "I was very happy to give Son Heung-min time to play in order to return. I hope he gets to play more in the final league match against Aston Villa," adding, "His return and joining the team to raise his condition will send a positive signal to the team."

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