Heung-min Son needs one thing to join legends in superb record and Newcastle v Tottenham is the prefect clash to do so

12/04/2024 16:52

Heung-min Son has stepped up for Tottenham in the absence of Harry Kane this season – and now, he can set an impressive record without him.

The Spurs captain will spearhead his club’s away trip to Newcastle this weekend, live on talkSPORT, with a slice of history on the line.

Spurs currently sit above Aston Villa only on goal difference in fourth but have won four of their last six heading into the season run-in.

Ange Postecoglou's free-scoring side will also be buoyed by this fixture which usually offers fans an utter goal-fest.

With 65 goals scored and 52 goals conceded, Newcastle's Premier League games have seen more goals than any other team this season (117).

Tottenham, who with 65 scored and 45 conceded rank joint-fourth for this (110), smashed four past the Magpies in December’s reverse fixture.

Son assisted Destiny Udogie‘s opener on that day before scoring himself, with another contribution putting him in an exclusive club.

The Tottenham captain has been involved in 24 goals in his last 25 Premier League appearances, scoring 15 and assisting nine.

Should he provide an assist against Newcastle, he will become the first Tottenham player and only the sixth player ever to register double figures in both goals and assists in three different top-flight campaigns.

Son, who has already twice achieved the feat in the 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons alongside Kane, now can do it for the first time without him. 

If he reaches 10 assists again, he would join Wayne Rooney, Mohamed Salah, Frank Lampard, Eric Cantona and Didier Drogba as part of an illustrious group of Premier League icons.

He would equal Drogba by doing it on three occasions, while Rooney leads the way with five different seasons scoring at least 10 goals and providing at least 10 assists. 

Despite his vast achievements, Son’s stats are not enough for him to be called a Premier League legend, according to Andy Townsend.

Asked if winning some medals would help earn him the label, he told talkSPORT Breakfast: “He [Son] is a top player, he’s a great. That word ‘legend’ should only be used in the right context.”

He then joked: “Someone put that on your script about me earlier and it’s not right.

“I think that Son has been a great player and great operator for Spurs, but a legend? No.”