South Korean forward Son Heung-Min sparkled as Tottenham Hotspur returned to winning ways in style by crushing sorry Stoke City 5-1 at Wembley on Saturday. After a four-game winless streak in the Premier League, Tottenham took their frustrations out on a poor Stoke side to provisionally climb to fifth place in the table.
Though Harry Kane scored twice, Son was the star of the show, scoring one goal and having a say in four others. An own goal from Ryan Shawcross set Spurs on the way, with Christian Eriksen also weighing in as Stoke, who grabbed a late consolation via Shawcross, were taken to the cleaners.
Following three previous 4-0 victories, it was Spurs' fourth consecutive four-goal league win over Stoke - an English top-flight record. Mark Hughes's Stoke, who have their lowest points tally at this stage of a Premier League season, sought to pack their defence in an effort to frustrate the hosts.
But they quickly had to change tack as Spurs made the breakthrough with 20 minutes played. Son, who had already threatened Jack Butland's goal, made a telling contribution, with Shawcross ultimately putting the ball into his own net.
Son's cross deflected off Kurt Zouma and Shawcross, with Kane in close attention, could only divert the ball beyond Butland. The luckless Shawcross became the seventh player to score six or more own goals in the Premier League era.
Son almost extended his side's lead three minutes later with what would have been another goal of Stoke's own making.
A corner routine by the visitors backfired and Son burst away on a 40-yard run, ignoring Eriksen's cries for a pass, but could not find his way beyond Butland. Butland was forced into another save to keep out Eriksen's 28th-minute free-kick and then had to repel a thunderous shot from Mousa Dembele.
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