THE NOTEBOOK: Super sub Son responds PERFECTLY to being benched
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Tottenham edged past Newcastle to move into the top four of the Premier League after a 2-0 win over London rivals West Ham at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Second-half goals from Emerson Royal and Son Heung-min were enough for Antonio Conte’s men to take all three points.
Son had been left on the bench in favor of Richarlison, but he made an impact as a 68th-minute substitute to seal the game for the home side.
As for West Ham, the defeat leaves David Moyes’ side in the bottom three of the table and in the middle of a relegation fight.
Here, sports mail KIERAN GILL takes a look at some of the things you may have missed from Sunday’s capital clash.
Tottenham celebrate the 2-0 win over West Ham that saw them move into the top four
super sub son
At home to Leicester in September was the last time Heung-min Son went down when he was fit.
However, he responded to that kick at the rear in spectacular fashion, scoring a 13-minute hat-trick as a substitute as Tottenham won 6-2. Son knows he hasn’t been good enough this season, he admitted as much in an exclusive interview in the Daily Mail on Saturday, and Antonio Conte left him out for this game.
However, like last time, he came in, scored and secured the win for Tottenham. The perfect answer that a coach could ask a fired player.
Son Heung-min was left on the bench by Spurs, but scored after going into the second half.
Lead by example
Before facing League Two at Wimbledon on Saturday, Hartlepool midfielder Dan Kemp asked his coach Keith Curle if he could leave the team hotel to meet his locally living best friend for coffee.
That friend? Declan Rice. Kemp, who, like Rice, is 24 and previously had spells at the Chelsea and West Ham academies, scored twice as Hartlepool rallied from 2-0 down to draw 2-2. Clearly, catching up with Rice inspired Kemp.
Rice has a responsible head on her shoulders. In his full time here, Said Benrahma wanted to go straight through the tunnel. But the West Ham captain would not allow it. He waved her over to the corner so he could applaud the traveling fans and then chatted with Benrahma as they both left the field. Good leader, Rice.
Declan Rice offers West Ham some hope of survival thanks to his leadership of the team
he is one of yours
Harry Kane emerged from the tunnel with his two daughters Vivienne and Ivy by his side as mascots, each wearing Tottenham shirts with ‘267’ and ‘Daddy’ on the back. To the right of him was a giant mosaic in the South Stand reading ‘Harry’, with a silhouette of the striker across the letter ‘A’. This was a moving tribute to the club’s top scorer.
Harry Kane leads his team with his two daughters at his side as mascots for the game.
a real mistake
His manager may be prone to accidentally calling him ‘Nathan’ in press conferences, but Nayef Aguerd has been showing why West Ham signed him for £30m from Rennes in the summer. However, he made a rare mistake here and that’s when Tottenham scored.
Aguerd crossed to close out Ben Davies, which only left Emerson Royal alone behind him. It’s funny what a goal can do for a player’s confidence. After scoring here, Royal brought out no-look passes, quick moves and tricks for the rest of the match.
A rare mistake by Nayef Aguerd allowed Emerson Royal to put Tottenham in the lead
Out of tone
One of the earliest sketches of the Tottenham Hotspur stadium, scrawled in the offices of architecture firm Populous, showed a megaphone coming out of its South Stand.
They wanted it to be the loudest stand in the country and away fans will not have enjoyed the songs that were blaring out in the final moments of this game. ‘West Ham is sinking’, was the first. ‘La la la, la la la, you’re shit’, then he followed him.
Next weekend’s game against Nottingham Forest at London Stadium feels significant.
West Ham players would not have enjoyed what they heard from Tottenham fans
Whenever West Ham’s opponents complain about a decision, David Moyes may refer them to the new Bolton stadium name.
Moyes feels his team have been on the wrong end of a few calls this season, although West Ham had a bit of luck here because a) Thilo Kehrer’s handball didn’t trigger a first-half penalty and b) Michail Antonio didn’t get a second. yellow card in the second half.
David Moyes’ team was lucky that some refereeing decisions went in their favor against Spurs.
downes and out
This was Flynn Downes’ third Premier League start away from home this season. The other two came to Anfield (1-0 loss to Liverpool) and Old Trafford (1-0 loss to Manchester United). Unfortunately for Downes, it’s another big day loss.