Son Heung-min extends double-digit scoring streak to 7 seasons in loss

Son Heung-min of Tottenham Hotspur has reached double figures in Premier League goals for his seventh consecutive season, though the milestone goal came in a losing cause.

Son scored his 10th goal of the 2022-2023 season in the 77th minute of Tottenham’s 4-3 loss to Liverpool at Anfield in Liverpool, England, on Sunday (local time).

The defeat dragged Tottenham down from fifth to sixth place in the league tables with four matches to play, dampening the club’s hopes of finishing in the top four and earning a ticket to the UEFA Champions League next season.

Tottenham remained stuck at 54 points and let Liverpool, with one match in hand on Tottenham, zip past them with 56 points. Manchester United occupy fourth place with 63 points, and they have played two fewer matches than Tottenham.

With only one win in their past five, Tottenham, now under their second caretaker boss since sacking Antonio Conte in late March, may not even finish in the top six. Aston Villa also have 54 points and only trail Tottenham by two in goal difference. Brighton and Hove Albion are in eighth place at 52 points, but they have three matches in hand on Spurs.

All of this overshadowed Son’s latest accomplishment. He has now scored at least 10 in every season since the 2016-2017 campaign, his second in the Premier League. The streak includes Son’s Golden Boot-winning performance in the 2021-2022 season, when he tied Mohamed Salah of Liverpool for the Premier League lead with a career-best 23 goals. Son is the only Asian to have won the Golden Boot in Premier League history.

In April, Son became the first Asian player to score 100 goals in the Premier League. Now with 103 goals, Son has pulled into a tie with former Man United star Cristiano Ronaldo for 32nd place on the all-time Premiership scoring list.

Tottenham conceded three goals in the opening 15 minutes, before clawing back to tie things up late.

Son’s goal, set up by Cristian Romero’s through ball from the halfway line, cut Tottenham’s deficit to 3-2. Then three minutes into added time, Son assisted on Richarlison’s equalizer with a free kick.

Just as Tottenham seemed on their way to a hard-fought draw, Liverpool’s Diogo Jota scored in the very next minute to seal the narrow win for the home team.