Son expected to return for FA Cup match on Sunday

On Round 21 of the English Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur were defeated 0-1 to Southampton FC on Thursday. Having failed to add more a much-needed three points, Tottenham are still ranked sixth in the league table (30 points as of Thursday) with Southampton trailing in the 12th (25 points).

The absence of Son Heung-min, who netted 10 goals this season, was gaping. After being shown a red card owing to his rough challenge to a defender in the Chelsea match on December 23, Son was suspended for three games including the latest one in Southampton. In the three games where the Korean attacker was missing, Tottenham only managed to earn four points (1-1-1). “It was difficult because our possibilities on the bench were not many without Sonny,” Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho said.

Son is expected to come back to pitch in the FA Cup game with Middlesbrough FC on Sunday. Harry Kane, Spurs ace who has found 17 goals this season, got a hamstring injury (typically takes four weeks for recovery) in Southampton, which will put more pressure on Son. “Now Son is back Harry Kane is out but that’s the way it is,” Mourinho said. “We have to try to cope the best we can.”


Yun-Cheol Jeong trigger@donga.com