Tottenham vs Leicester LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction as Son Heung-min hits hat-trick
Antonio Conte’s side move joint-top as Brendan Rodgers faces up to a run of six straight defeats
Son Heung-min ended his scoring drought in stunning fashion with a sublime hat-trick as Tottenham Hotspur crushed Leicester City 6-2 to move joint top of the Premier League on Saturday.
Rodrigo Bentancur’s first goal for Tottenham was separating the sides in an entertaining tussle but Son, who started on the bench, exploded back to form with three goals in 13 minutes.
The South Korean, the Premier League’s joint-top scorer last season, had not scored in Tottenham’s first eight games.
Leicester took an early lead with a twice-taken penalty by Youri Tielemans but Tottenham hit back quickly with Harry Kane powering in a header at the far post.
Tottenham went ahead in the 21st minute as defender Eric Dier marked his return to the England squad with a glancing header from a corner.
Bottom-placed Leicester were lively in attack though and James Maddison’s superb finish sent them in level at halftime.
Bentancur seized on a mistake to restore Tottenham’s lead in the 47th minute but Son went on to steal the show.
After coming on in the 59th minute, he curled an unstoppable right-footer into the top corner in the 73rd minute, then curled a left-footer into the opposite side 11 minutes later.
Son then completed his hat-trick after running on to a Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg through ball.
Sub Son Heung-min comes on and hits hat-trick as Tottenham thrash Leicester
Son Heung-min responded to being dropped by coming on and ending his goal drought in style with a sensational hat-trick in Tottenham’s 6-2 hammering of sorry Leicester.
Spurs boss Antonio Conte left the South Korean on the bench following an eight-match run without finding the net but called for his forward in the 65th minute and he responded with a remarkable treble.
Tottenham already led 3-2 at this point after Harry Kane, Eric Dier and Rodrigo Bentancur efforts had cancelled out goals from Youri Tielemans and James Maddison for the visitors.
It was a second consecutive heavy loss for under-fire Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers to ensure they remain bottom of the Premier League and winless.
Sub Son Heung-min comes on and hits hat-trick as Tottenham thrash Leicester
Son scored in the 73rd, 84th and 86th-minute to end his eight-game goal drought in style.
FT Tottenham 6-2 Leicester
Leicester have conceded at least five goals in successive top-flight matches for the first time since September 1980.
FT Tottenham 6-2 Leicester
Spurs are unbeaten in 13 Premier League games (with nine wins and four draws), since a 1-0 home defeat against Brighton on 16th April.
They have only had two longer Premier League unbeaten runs - 14 from August to December 2015 and again from December 2017 to April 2018.
Reaction from Son Heung-min
There was only one man going to come out and speak to Sky Sports after the game and Tottenham’s hat-trick hero Son-Heung-min said: “It was a top performance and I was really frustrated as well. The way I play I can do much better than I have been. I have been disappointed, the team has been doing really, really good but I was disappointed with my performance.
“It was a tough game at 3-2 and you never know in the Premier League. I wanted to do my best for the team. I will always try to do that when I play. I tried to help the team on the bench. I’m glad we won the game before the international break.
“My finishing has been poor this season. I’ve also been a little bit unlucky with an own goal, two offside goals and hitting the crossbar. I knew goals were coming and I wasn’t worried. I’ve always had great supporters, team-mates and coaches behind me.
“I like to shoot from outside the box - I’ve practiced that since I was a kid. Even now after training, if I have time, I try to practice from that position and hitting the top corner. I’m really glad the ball finally went in!
“I was pretty sure I was onside for the hat-trick! I’m glad I’ve been able to help the team, that is really important and I can go to national duty with renewed energy.
“I’m getting emotional [about the support] to be honest. There has been amazing support and I’ve always felt like I’ve disappointed my team-mates and fans with my performances. They have always been supporting me.”
FT Tottenham 6-2 Leicester
How good was Son Heung-min when he came on? One of the best substitute appearances of the season.
Full-time: Tottenham 6-2 Leicester
90+4 mins: Spurs win! They had edged in front but the game was delicately poised with Leicester seeing lots of possession until Son Heung-min was brought on.
He opened up his tally for the season with three quick fire goals to take the game away from the Foxes and move Tottenham up to second in the Premier League table.
They’re level on points with Manchester City.
Leicester meanwhile remain bottom of the pile having shipped 11 goals in their last two games. These are troubling times for manager Brendan Rodgers.
Tottenham 6-2 Leicester
90 mins: What a performance from Son Heung-min who has completely taken this game away from Leicester since his introduction. It’s taken him 13 minutes to complete a second half hat-trick and get back into the goals.
There’s four minutes of added time to play.
GOAL! Tottenham 6-2 Leicester (Son, 86’)⚽️
86 mins: Does Son have a hat-trick? He’s played in behind the Leicester defence and drives the ball into the box. He takes this one on his right foot and belts it into the back of the net off goalkeeper Danny Ward.
The goal is initially ruled out for offside but VAR takes a look and overturns the decision!
Son has a hat-trick!
GOAL! Tottenham 5-2 Leicester (Son, 84’)⚽️
84 mins: This one is even better!
It’s the old combo of Harry Kane and Son Heung-min. Kane brings the ball up to the edge of the box and passes it across to Son. Justin backs off and allows the South Korean to roll the ball onto his left foot and he curls a gorgeous effort into the far top corner!
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