Leicester City 0-2 Tottenham Hotspur: Son Heung-min and Dele Alli secure comfortable win

Published on: 08 December 2018

Son Heung-min scored a superb opener for Spurs

Tottenham retained third place in the Premier League with a comfortable victory over a flat Leicester at the King Power Stadium.

With Harry Kane and Christian Eriksen both rested, Spurs initially struggled to break down the hosts until Son Heung-min's superb strike just before the break.

The South Korea forward cut in from the right and hit the top corner with a curling left-footed shot from outside the area.

The impressive Dele Alli then headed in Son's weighted cross after a flowing counter-attack to put the game beyond Leicester.

Spurs had dropped to fifth after wins for Chelsea and Arsenal earlier on Saturday, but now move back above their London rivals and are five points behind Manchester City in second, with leaders Liverpool a point further in front.

Leicester stay ninth despite an end to their six-match unbeaten run in the league.

No Kane, no Eriksen, no problem

It is perhaps a mark of Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino's trust in the likes of Alli, Son and Lucas Moura that he felt able to leave Kane and Eriksen out of the starting side.

Spurs' crucial Champions League group game away at Barcelona on Tuesday explains Pochettino's selection here, but this was still an important game against an in-form Leicester side, with the risk that the visitors could fall behind others near the top of the table.

But unlike the decision not to start Toby Alderweireld in the derby defeat by Arsenal last week, this gamble paid off as Alli, Moura and Son's blend of pace and skill proved too much for Leicester.

Alli and Son provided the only sparks in an otherwise uninspiring first half - the former twice dancing through the Leicester defence only to be denied at the last, and the latter breaking the deadlock with a wonderful strike, the first either side had managed on target.

Collecting a short pass from Serge Aurier on the right-hand edge of the box, Son feinted past Nampalys Mendy to create space before curving a terrific strike beyond Kasper Schmeichel.

Son's start to the season was disrupted by his successful attempt to avoid military service in helping South Korea win the Asian Games, and he subsequently struggled for form. But he has been vital for Spurs recently, with three goals and three assists now in his last six league games.

Alli, meanwhile, has seen his season interrupted by injuries, but he was back to near his best here, drifting between the lines and capping a fine showing with a goal.

Moura brought the ball forward as Spurs worked a three-on-two, sliding it left to Son, who took his time, fashioned some room and picked out Alli with a terrific cross that the England midfielder met with a diving header past Schmeichel.

Eriksen and Kane did both enter the game in the final 25 minutes - replacing Moura and Son respectively - but by then Tottenham were coasting to victory.

More to follow.

    Line-ups Match Stats Live Text

Line-ups

Leicester

    1Schmeichel

    14Ricardo Pereira

    5Morgan

    6Evans

    3Chilwell

    24MendyBooked at 16minsSubstituted forOkazakiat 79'minutes

    21IborraSubstituted forAlbrightonat 56'minutesBooked at 64mins

    25Ndidi

    7GrayBooked at 81mins

    8IheanachoSubstituted forGhezzalat 56'minutes

    10Maddison

Substitutes

    11Albrighton

    12Ward

    15Maguire

    20Okazaki

    28Fuchs

    31Ghezzal

    38Choudhury

Tottenham

    1Lloris

    24AurierSubstituted forWalker-Petersat 78'minutes

    4Alderweireld

    5Vertonghen

    33Davies

    15DierBooked at 9mins

    8Winks

    17Sissoko

    20Alli

    7Son Heung-MinSubstituted forKaneat 74'minutes

    27Lucas MouraSubstituted forEriksenat 67'minutes

Substitutes

    3Rose

    10Kane

    14Nkoudou

    16Walker-Peters

    22Gazzaniga

    23Eriksen

    52Skipp

Referee:

Craig Pawson

Attendance:

31,957

Match Stats

Home TeamLeicesterAway TeamTottenham

Possession

Home42%

Away58%

Shots

Home10

Away7

Shots on Target

Home3

Away2

Corners

Home6

Away5

Fouls

Home12

Away7

Live Text

Posted at

Match ends, Leicester City 0, Tottenham Hotspur 2.

Full TimePosted at 90'+4'

Second Half ends, Leicester City 0, Tottenham Hotspur 2.

Posted at 90'+3'

Attempt missed. James Maddison (Leicester City) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Marc Albrighton.

Posted at 90'+1'

Kyle Walker-Peters (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 90'+1'

Foul by Shinji Okazaki (Leicester City).

Posted at 90'

Foul by Moussa Sissoko (Tottenham Hotspur).

Posted at 90'

Ben Chilwell (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 89'

Attempt saved. Rachid Ghezzal (Leicester City) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Demarai Gray.

Posted at 87'

Attempt saved. Rachid Ghezzal (Leicester City) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the top right corner.

Posted at 84'

Hand ball by Marc Albrighton (Leicester City).

Posted at 83'

Attempt missed. Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right following a corner.

Posted at 83'

Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Ben Davies.

Posted at 83'

Attempt blocked. Demarai Gray (Leicester City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Wilfred Ndidi.

BookingPosted at 81'

Demarai Gray (Leicester City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 81'

Kyle Walker-Peters (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 81'

Foul by Demarai Gray (Leicester City).

Posted at 80'

Offside, Leicester City. Ricardo Pereira tries a through ball, but Demarai Gray is caught offside.

SubstitutionPosted at 79'

Substitution, Leicester City. Shinji Okazaki replaces Nampalys Mendy.

SubstitutionPosted at 78'

Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Kyle Walker-Peters replaces Serge Aurier because of an injury.

Posted at 78'

Delay over. They are ready to continue.

Posted at 77'

Delay in match Serge Aurier (Tottenham Hotspur) because of an injury.

Posted at 76'

Corner, Tottenham Hotspur. Conceded by Wilfred Ndidi.

SubstitutionPosted at 74'

Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Harry Kane replaces Son Heung-Min.

Posted at 73'

Offside, Leicester City. Rachid Ghezzal tries a through ball, but Wes Morgan is caught offside.

Posted at 73'

Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Moussa Sissoko.

Posted at 72'

Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Serge Aurier.

Posted at 71'

Attempt missed. Serge Aurier (Tottenham Hotspur) header from the right side of the box is close, but misses the top right corner. Assisted by Ben Davies with a cross.

Posted at 67'

Harry Winks (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Posted at 67'

Foul by Rachid Ghezzal (Leicester City).

SubstitutionPosted at 67'

Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Christian Eriksen replaces Lucas Moura.

Posted at 66'

Attempt missed. Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left following a set piece situation.

Posted at 65'

Foul by Ben Davies (Tottenham Hotspur).

Posted at 65'

James Maddison (Leicester City) wins a free kick on the right wing.

BookingPosted at 64'

Marc Albrighton (Leicester City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 64'

Son Heung-Min (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Posted at 64'

Foul by Marc Albrighton (Leicester City).

Posted at 62'

Dele Alli (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 62'

Foul by Jonny Evans (Leicester City).

Posted at 61'

Attempt blocked. James Maddison (Leicester City) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

Goal!Posted at 58'

Goal! Leicester City 0, Tottenham Hotspur 2. Dele Alli (Tottenham Hotspur) header from very close range to the top right corner. Assisted by Son Heung-Min with a cross following a fast break.

Show more updates

goal

Source: bbc.com

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