Son’s rapid treble lifts Tottenham and exposes Leicester’s fragility

As ways to end a goal drought go, this takes some topping. With Tottenham already having come from behind to lead a pulsating clash 3-2, substitute Son Heung-Min curled a finish past a flailing Danny Ward.

It was only the start. A left-footed strike of similar quality quickly followed and then, with the offside flag having been raised initially, came the icing on a 13 minute hat-trick. Praise be for VAR.

The victory, temporarily at least, took Tottenham above north London rivals Arsenal and level with Manchester City at the Premier League summit. For Leicester the rot continues. Without a league win, they prop up the table. Six straight defeats and Brendan Rodgers is perhaps hanging on by a thread, their inability to hold on to a lead will be particularly galling. This season alone they have dropped 11 points from winning positions.

Following midweek European misadventure, Antonio Conte made four changes. Amongst them was Son’s demotion. Dejan Kulusevski could only loiter patiently for so long.

Rodgers made a trio of alterations from the side dismantled at Brighton. Wout Faes, the club’s only outfield summer signing – a point Rodgers has hammered home – was handed his debut.

Pre-match both Ledley King and Emile Heskey laid wreaths on the pitch, but sadly the minute’s silence that followed was not quite impeccably observed. Then came a rousing rendition of God Save the King, and after that a frenetic opening period.

The tone was set when Davinson Sánchez – alongside Clement Lenglet freshly reinstalled to flank Eric Dier – fluffed an initial clearance. The recycled ball saw James Justin skip down the Tottenham left and as he reached the penalty area, Sánchez clipped him. The challenge was equal parts needless and mindless.