Tottenham surged to the highest of the Premier League as Son Heung-min and James Maddison sealed a 2-0 win in opposition to Fulham on Monday. Ange Postecoglou’s facet prolonged their unbeaten begin to 9 league video games due to Son’s opener and Maddison’s first objective on the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium since his close-season transfer from Leicester.
Tottenham leapfrogged Manchester Metropolis, Arsenal and Liverpool to go two factors clear on the prime of the desk.
Fulham are the one staff to beat Tottenham this season, knocking them out of the League Cup on penalties in August.
However they avenged that loss by recording a 3rd successive league victory to strengthen their sudden title problem.
Saluting Son and Maddison, Postecoglou mentioned: “They’re each high quality gamers. They’re each leaders on the membership.
“They work hard for the team and it is a credit to them.”
The north Londoners’ excellent begin to Postecoglou’s debut season have awoken goals of the membership’s first top-flight title since Invoice Nicholson’s 1961 double winners.
Whereas that bold goal could but show past Tottenham, who haven’t gained a serious trophy since 2008, the Australian has undoubtedly had a big impact on a membership that was in turmoil when he arrived from Celtic.
A poisonous mixture of Tottenham’s poor outcomes and dour shows beneath Antonio Conte final time period, mixed with Harry Kane’s close-season transfer to Bayern Munich, left many anticipating one other yr of turmoil.
But Postecoglou has astutely guided Tottenham to calmer waters, profitable over doubters along with his down-to-earth persona and attacking game-plan.
“It was a good result against a tough opponent. We maintained our patience and our pressing was really strong,” Postecoglou mentioned.
“Both our goals came from our press to be honest. Our work off the ball was excellent. It has been first rate all year and that is what got us the result.”
Monday’s victory gave Postecoglou the file for many factors gained by a brand new supervisor of their first 9 Premier League matches, along with his 23 surpassing the mark beforehand held by Mike Walker and Guus Hiddink.
Postecoglou’s subsequent problem is making certain his gamers are prepared for a fast turnaround, with their London derby at Crystal Palace scheduled for Friday.
Dynamic duo
Consistent with their vibrant type beneath Postecoglou, Tottenham made an enterprising begin and Son was denied an early objective by Bernd Leno’s sensible save from his close-range shot.
Heading into this weekend, no participant had supplied extra assists within the competitors this time period than Maddison’s 5.
The playmaker almost added to that tally when his free-kick was volleyed over by Micky van de Ven.
Fulham nearly snatched a shock lead by way of Joao Palhinha, whose header was brilliantly clawed to security by Guglielmo Vicario.
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg examined Leno with a fierce strike earlier than Richarlison side-footed simply vast from the sting of the world.
Tottenham’s stress was rewarded within the thirty sixth minute as Calvin Bassey carelessly surrendered possession and Richarlison flicked a cross to Son on the sting of the world.
Son’s deft contact took him away from two flat-footed Fulham defenders, giving him time to curve a superb end into the far nook for his seventh objective this season.
Dejan Kulusevski’s goal-bound strike was deflected vast for a nook as Tottenham pushed for a second.
They needed to wait simply 9 minutes after half-time earlier than delivering the knockout blow, with a hearty help from Fulham’s lacklustre defence.
Kane’s departure was anticipated to destabilise Tottenham, however Son and Maddison have fashioned a dynamic duo nearly as efficient because the South Korean’s prolific partnership with the England captain.
Hojbjerg intercepted a miscued Bassey clearance and picked out Son, who laid a composed cross into Maddison to use the of completion with a low strike from 10 yards.