"It is really nice to see Son Heung-min."

Tottenham Hotspur suffered a 0-2 defeat against Aston Villa in a Premier League match on the 37th round of the 2024-2025 season at Villa Park in Birmingham, England, on the 17th (Korean time).

Following this defeat, Tottenham remained at 38 points (11 wins, 5 draws, 21 losses) and stayed in 17th place. In contrast, Aston Villa accumulated 66 points (19 wins, 9 draws, 9 losses) and climbed to 5th place in the league, bypassing Manchester City, which has one game in hand, signaling a promising opportunity for Champions League qualification next season.

Tottenham is winless in 6 consecutive league matches (1 draw, 5 losses) and has suffered its 21st loss of the season, setting a new club record for 'most losses' since the Premier League's inception.

Tottenham lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Mathis Tel played at the forefront, with Son Heung-min, Wilson Odobert, and Mikey Moore in the attacking midfield. Pape Sarr and Archie Gray filled the midfield, while Sergio Reguilón, Ben Davies, Kevin Danso, and Jed Spence formed the back four. Antonin Kinski guarded the goal.

In this match, Son Heung-min returned to the starting lineup for the first time in about a month. After missing 7 matches due to a foot injury since the first leg of the UEFA Europa League quarterfinal against Eintracht Frankfurt on the 11th of last month, he was a substitute for a short time in the match against Crystal Palace on the 11th, and started in the match against Villa. His comeback match ended after 74 minutes, and he mainly moved actively on the left flank until he was substituted.

The overall completeness of the team was lacking. Many key players, aside from Son Heung-min, were excluded from the bench or the roster, leading to extensive use of rotation members, and a different defensive counterattack strategy was employed. After an initial offensive, Tottenham was gradually pressured by Villa's pressing and ultimately collapsed, conceding a first goal from Konsa in the 14th minute of the second half and a clinching goal from Kamara in the 28th minute.

Son Heung-min left the field in the 29th minute of the second half alongside Sergio Reguilón, as Rodrigo Bentancur and Dominic Solanke were brought in, but it was insufficient to turn the tide. In the 42nd minute of the second half, Brennan Johnson and Richarlison replaced Mikey Moore and Wilson Odobert, but a consolation goal never came.

Through this match, Son Heung-min recorded his 453rd appearance for Tottenham, positioning him alone in 6th place for the most appearances in the club's history, but he could not change the team's atmosphere.

While playing 74 minutes, Son Heung-min recorded 1 shot, a pass completion rate of 88% (21/24), 3 touches in the opponent's box, 0% dribble success (0/1), and 3 passes in the attacking zone. Additionally, he attempted 6 ball challenges but did not win any.

After the match, the British outlet 'Football London' reported on an interview with Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou. Postecoglou explained the reason for substituting Pape Sarr, noting that it was not a serious injury.

In the post-match interview, Postecoglou stated, "Sarr felt slight discomfort in his back. It is not a big issue, but we substituted him as a precaution. The rest of the players all finished the match safely." He added, "Some players were excluded entirely for precautionary measures, and Son Heung-min was given playing time. It was an important time leading up to the final. The other players are also fine."

He added, "It is really nice to see Son Heung-min back on the pitch. He showed threatening movements on the left flank several times in the first half. Son Heung-min himself would have improved his condition by playing today. I hope this appearance helps boost his physical state ahead of the final."

[OSEN]