2nd in the Premier League with 21 goals left
Salah 1 goal pursuit… turn over
Against Norwich City confirmed for relegation
Tottenham secures fourth place just by draw
Manchester City and Liverpool fight for title
Tottenham striker Son Heung-min (center) cheers after scoring his 21st goal in the 2021-2022 EPL round 36 against Arsenal at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England on the 13th. London = Associated Press
To become the top scorer in the world’s top league is every striker’s dream in football. Because soccer is a sport that requires scoring goals to win, the top scorer has nothing to do with the meaning of ‘the player who won the most teams in the world’. It is also the most reliable way to leave a name in history in a soccer game where various data does not exist unlike baseball. There is not a single striker who does not greedy for such an honorable position.
This is also true for Tottenham striker Son Heung-min (30), who has already been active in the 7th season in the English Premier League (EPL), the world’s top league. He, too, said on several occasions that his dream was to become a top scorer. But this dream is about to become a reality. This is thanks to the fact that they are chasing leader Mohammad Salah (Liverpool, 22 goals) by just one goal with 21 goals in the 2021-2022 EPL with only one match left in the final round of 37 rounds. It is a difference that can make a comeback in the match against Norwich City, which will be held on the 23rd at Caro Road, Norwich, England.
He has established himself as a top striker by consistently scoring double-digit goals in the league since the season following his entry into the EPL. But he wasn’t greedy for the top scorer. As Tottenham Hotspur is a team that focuses on the league’s top striker Harry Kane, the flank striker Son Heung-min had to be satisfied with the top 10 scoring rankings by scoring in the early stages of 10 goals. But last year, he perfectly rose to the team’s attacking edge and finished fourth with 17 goals. In addition, this season, he is fighting to the end in the top scorer race, surpassing the 20 league goals for the first time in his career, which is considered the standard for the best striker.
However, Heung-Min Son is not likely to play this match solely for his own goals. Another goal is to secure tickets for the Champions League (UCL) next season. Tottenham Hotspur are currently in fourth place with 68 points. They are two points behind fifth-placed Arsenal (66 points) and have a big lead in goal difference, so they can secure fourth place on their own just by a draw. Still, Son Heung-min is expected to focus on team play to secure tickets without being vigilant. After winning the match against Burnley in the 37th round on the 15th, he publicly expressed his determination, saying, “It’s my old dream to be the top scorer, but now I want to play in the Champions League.”
There are variables. It was when Tottenham quickly scored multiple goals against Norwich City, whose relegation was confirmed. If victory is certain, Son Heung-min can also aim for a goal with ease, and his teammates will be able to actively ‘drive’ him to become the top scorer. In this case, a great reversal is also possible.
Meanwhile, Manchester City and Liverpool will fight for the title on the same day. Manchester City are currently one point ahead of Liverpool (89 points) with 90 points. However, there is still a possibility of a reversal as the core of Manchester City’s defense line has been injured and there is a power disruption. So Liverpool are also expected to do their best in the final game of the season against Wolverhampton in order to keep Salah’s lead score and turn over at the last minute.
