Thanks mate: Son Heung-Min celebrates with Harry Kane © AFP / Ian KINGTON
LONDON, United Kingdom, Mar 3 – Tottenham cemented their place in the Premier League’s top four as Son Heung-Min inspired a 2-0 win over Huddersfield, while Swansea improved their survival prospects with a 4-1 thrashing of West Ham on Saturday.
Son put Tottenham ahead in the 27th minute at Wembley with his 14th goal of the season as Dele Alli’s pass sliced open the Huddersfield defence and the South Korea forward raced clear to finish emphatically.
Son struck again in the 54th minute, timing his run perfectly to meet Harry Kane’s cross with a bullet header past Huddersfield goalkeeper Jonas Lossl.
Tottenham’s third successive league win lifted them five points clear of fifth-placed Chelsea in the race to qualify for next season’s Champions League via a top-four finish.
It was the perfect warm-up for Tottenham’s Champions League last-16 second leg against Juventus on Wednesday, with the tie delicately poised at 2-2.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side are up to third place, but Liverpool can reclaim that position if they avoid defeat against Newcastle at Anfield later on Saturday.
“I hope I can score many more goals for Tottenham. The manager has to choose 11 players. I try my best and try to be ready at all times,” Son said.
“The pass from Harry Kane was very good for me, it made it easy to score. We feel comfortable at Wembley, we know how we play here.”
At the Liberty Stadium, Swansea climbed out of the relegation zone and pushed West Ham deeper into trouble.
South Korea midfielder Ki Sung-Yueng drove a 20-yarder past West Ham goalkeeper Adrian in the eighth minute for only his second goal of the season.
West Ham defender Winston Reid was given oxygen before being stretchered off after a nasty looking fall.
Carlos Carvalhal’s team took advantage to double their lead in the 32nd minute as Mike van der Hoorn was left unmarked to head home from close range.
Former Leicester midfielder Andy King notched a 48th-minute tap-in for his first Swansea goal.
Jordan Ayew slammed in a 63rd-minute penalty, awarded for a foul on his brother Andre Ayew, as Swansea moved three points clear of the bottom three.
Michail Antonio got one back for West Ham in the 79th minute, but the visitors’ third defeat in their last four games leaves them three points above the relegation zone.
“We have had some important victories since I arrived but this was the best performance,” Carvalhal said.
“We made West Ham dance to our music and it was rock and roll.”
– Mahrez saves Leicester –
Right on time: Leicester City manager Claude Puel reacts as Riyad Mahrez grabs the late equaliser © AFP / Roland HARRISON
Troy Deeney pushed West Bromwich Albion closer to relegation as the Watford striker’s late goal sealed a 1-0 win at Vicarage Road.
Deeney slotted home from a Will Hughes pass in the 77th minute to leave bottom-of-the-table West Brom nursing a fifth consecutive defeat that leaves them eight points from safety.
Southampton, sitting one point above the relegation zone, have only one win in their last 16 games after being held to a drab 0-0 draw by second-bottom Stoke at St Mary’s.
Riyad Mahrez rescued Leicester with a last-gasp equaliser in their 1-1 draw against Bournemouth.
The Foxes fell behind in the 35th minute at the King Power Stadium when Marc Albrighton conceded a penalty with a foul on Josh King, who picked himself up to convert the spot-kick.
But Algeria winger Mahrez curled in a superb free-kick seven minutes into stoppage-time.
Burnley ended an 11-match winless run in the Premier League as Chris Wood’s late header sealed a 2-1 victory over Everton.
New Zealand striker Wood came on as a second-half substitute to bag his first goal since November with just 10 minutes remaining at Turf Moor.
Everton had taken a 20th-minute lead when Turkey striker Cenk Tosun headed his first goal in his fifth appearance since his January move from Besiktas.
But Burnley forward Ashley Barnes equalised in the 56th minute and Wood, making his first appearance after a long injury lay-off, won it from close range in the 80th minute.
Everton defender Ashley Williams was sent off in the 86th minute after swinging his arm into Barnes’ face.
