Son Heung-min breaks Aston Villa hearts in stoppage time as Tottenham close gap on top four

This was not what Tottenham Hotspur expected when they appointed Jose Mourinho. The Portuguese is 20 games into his tenure and already four of them have now finished 3-2 after Son Heung-min condemned Aston Villa to defeat in injury time in the final act of a frantic, frenetic game.

Son’s strike was the match’s 41st shot, gaining Tottenham a win they may think they merited for a second-half onslaught where Pepe Reina, a man who frustrated Mourinho in a Champions League semi-final 13 years ago, seemed to be repeating the feat with a hat-trick of saves from the South Korean.

Yet it was a game that was summed up by Toby Alderweireld and Bjorn Engels, defenders on either side who cost their team a goal, made amends by scoring themselves, and were then culpable for another concession.

Horribly so, in Engels’ case. He let the ball run under his foot and Son took advantage, sprinting clear to score his second of the game. This was not a day when Tottenham needed to rue the absence of Harry Kane. Perhaps, instead, the crucial injury was to Tyrone Mings, sidelined by tonsillitis and replaced by Engels. Villa had contributed much to a thriller, but took nothing from it.

Son had already become the sixth player to bring up a half-century of Premier League goals for Spurs. Yet they began badly.

When Villa led, it amounted to hesitant, hapless defending. Alderweireld was caught in two minds, not attacking Anwar El Ghazi’s cross as he was aware of the presence of Mbwana Samatta behind him. He only succeeded in prodding the ball past a similarly timid Hugo Lloris.

That lead ought to have been extended. Jack Grealish, irrepressible and excellent, twice almost scored himself and teed up Douglas Luiz when he ought to have done; instead Lloris saved the Brazilian’s shot. Samatta, a lively presence, headed wide and Tottenham began a turnaround.

Redemption came in unexpectedly emphatic fashion. Alderweireld connected sweetly with a half-volley that flew past Reina after a corner rebounded off Eric Dier and Danny Drinkwater.

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Then technology came to Tottenham’s assistance. Engels’ tackle on Steven Bergwijn met with Martin Atkinson’s approval. A VAR review later and it was a penalty. A second stab at events proved decisive again: Pepe Reina saved Son’s unconvincing spot kick but he converted the rebound.

History repeated itself in the space of the same game as a defender culpable for a goal at one end scored the equaliser at the other. Engels converted Grealish’s corner; almost inevitably, it was Alderweireld he beat in the air.

Then came a string of Reina saves to prevent further goals before Son delivered Mourinho victory by the sort of scoreline he rarely used to experience: 3-2.