SON HEUNG-MIN scored his first Premier League goal to earn Tottenham a 1-0 win over Crystal Palace at White Hart Lane.
The South Korea international followed on from his Europa League double against Qarabag in midweek with the winning strike on Sunday, handing Tottenham the bragging rights in a closely fought London derby.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side have now won back-to-back top-flight games and three in a row in all competitions, alleviating some of the early-season pressure that was beginning to build after a below-par start.
It was just reward for the hosts, who had the better of things but were pushed hard by Alan Pardew’s side, who have lost consecutive matches since stunning champions Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last month.
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Tottenham started the game positively and called Alex McCarthy into action frequently, but the goalkeeper was equal to everything thrown at him. Palace threatened on the break and hit the post on the brink of half-time through Yohan Cabaye, while Bakary Sako was also denied by the woodwork following an impressive save from Hugo Lloris.
That set the stage for Son, a big-money buy from Bayer Leverkusen, to net the winner 22 minutes from time and help Tottenham climb to ninth.
Erik Lamela came into the Tottenham side for the injured Ryan Mason, who scored the winner in last weekend’s victory over Sunderland, while Damien Delaney replaced the sidelined Scott Dann for Crystal Palace.
With Tottenham pressing intensely, Lamela was quickly involved in the action for the hosts as he set up Harry Kane for a header that was sent over.
In the 17th minute the Argentine proved dangerous again as he drifted inside from the right and hit a low drive that McCarthy pushed aside, where Delaney removed the threat by putting the ball out for a corner. Alan Pardew’s men still offered a threat on the break, with Sako seeing his free-kick from 20 yards kept out of the top corner by a leaping Lloris.
Cabaye went even closer before the interval as his strike from the right-hand side of the area was deflected onto the upright by Ben Davies.
Tottenham thought they had taken the lead close to the hour mark, but Kane was adjudged to have interfered with play from an offside position before Davies nodded home on the rebound following a shot from Son.
Crystal Palace's Yohan Cabaye and Spurs midfielder Dele Ali. Paul Harding
Paul Harding
Palace were denied the opener by the woodwork once again in the 65th minute, but it took an astonishing save from Lloris to divert Sako’s cross-goal effort onto the post.
The visitors were made to rue that missed chance as substitute Christian Eriksen released Son, who beat Brede Hangeland for pace and fired a low effort underneath McCarthy and into the back of the net.
Palace pushed for a late leveller but, even with four minutes of time added on, the hosts held firm to wrap up the points.
Son shines on Spurs as €30m man bags his first Premier League goal
Tottenham 1-0 Crystal Palace
SON HEUNG-MIN scored his first Premier League goal to earn Tottenham a 1-0 win over Crystal Palace at White Hart Lane.
The South Korea international followed on from his Europa League double against Qarabag in midweek with the winning strike on Sunday, handing Tottenham the bragging rights in a closely fought London derby.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side have now won back-to-back top-flight games and three in a row in all competitions, alleviating some of the early-season pressure that was beginning to build after a below-par start.
It was just reward for the hosts, who had the better of things but were pushed hard by Alan Pardew’s side, who have lost consecutive matches since stunning champions Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last month.
Tottenham started the game positively and called Alex McCarthy into action frequently, but the goalkeeper was equal to everything thrown at him. Palace threatened on the break and hit the post on the brink of half-time through Yohan Cabaye, while Bakary Sako was also denied by the woodwork following an impressive save from Hugo Lloris.
That set the stage for Son, a big-money buy from Bayer Leverkusen, to net the winner 22 minutes from time and help Tottenham climb to ninth.
Erik Lamela came into the Tottenham side for the injured Ryan Mason, who scored the winner in last weekend’s victory over Sunderland, while Damien Delaney replaced the sidelined Scott Dann for Crystal Palace.
With Tottenham pressing intensely, Lamela was quickly involved in the action for the hosts as he set up Harry Kane for a header that was sent over.
In the 17th minute the Argentine proved dangerous again as he drifted inside from the right and hit a low drive that McCarthy pushed aside, where Delaney removed the threat by putting the ball out for a corner. Alan Pardew’s men still offered a threat on the break, with Sako seeing his free-kick from 20 yards kept out of the top corner by a leaping Lloris.
Cabaye went even closer before the interval as his strike from the right-hand side of the area was deflected onto the upright by Ben Davies.
Tottenham thought they had taken the lead close to the hour mark, but Kane was adjudged to have interfered with play from an offside position before Davies nodded home on the rebound following a shot from Son.
Palace were denied the opener by the woodwork once again in the 65th minute, but it took an astonishing save from Lloris to divert Sako’s cross-goal effort onto the post.
The visitors were made to rue that missed chance as substitute Christian Eriksen released Son, who beat Brede Hangeland for pace and fired a low effort underneath McCarthy and into the back of the net.
Palace pushed for a late leveller but, even with four minutes of time added on, the hosts held firm to wrap up the points.
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