Son Heung-min finishes Premier League season with career high in offensive points

SEOUL, July 27 (Yonhap) -- Tottenham Hotspur's South Korean star Son Heung-min has finished his roller coaster of a season with a new career high in attacking points, though he failed to add to the tally in the Premier League season finale.

Tottenham ended in a 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park Stadium in London on Sunday (local time), with Son not factoring in on offense before being lifted in the 79th minute.

Son ended the Premier League season with 11 goals and 10 assists for a career-best 21 points. He ranked tied for 18th in goals and tied for fourth in assists.

In all competitions, Son recorded 18 goals and 12 assists for 30 points, also the highest combined total in his career.

Son had an excellent start to the season, highlighted by the memorable wonder goal against Burnley in December that is still being spoken with reverence to this day.

Son fractured his right arm during a match in February that looked to have sidelined him for the remainder of the season. But then the coronavirus pandemic forced the Premier League to press pause, allowing Son enough time to heal and even complete his mandatory military training in South Korea.

When the season resumed in June, Son returned healthy and helped Tottenham squeeze into continental action for next season.

Tottenham hung on to finish sixth in the league and earn a spot at the second qualifying round for the UEFA Europa League.

It's the secondary European club tournament, a notch below the UEFA Champions League. Tottenham were the runners-up at last season's Champions League, but they had to claw their way up just to get into the Europa League this time.

Tottenham and Wolverhampton Wanderers both finished with 59 points, but the Spurs were ahead in the goal difference tiebreaker, +14 to +11.

Tottenham's early season woes cost Mauricio Pochettino his job as head coach, with Jose Mourinho taking the reins in November.

jeeho@yna.co.kr
(END)