Son hat-trick stuns Villa as Spurs grab on to fourth spot

April 9, 2022 Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min celebrates scoring their fourth goal to complete his hat-trick Action Images via Reuters

Son Heung-min struck a superbly taken hat-trick as Tottenham Hotspur took a grip on fourth place, romping to a 4-0 win at Aston Villa in the Premier League on Saturday.

With Arsenal losing earlier on Saturday, Spurs have a three point lead over their North London rivals with 57 points from 31 games - the Gunners have played one game less.

South Korean Son fired Spurs ahead in the third minute when a blocked shot from Harry Kane fell to him on the edge of the box and his first time, left-foot, shot flew in off the inside of the post.

Villa then had a host of chances to get level but a combination of wasteful finishing and inspired goalkeeping from Hugo Lloris ensured Spurs went in with the lead at the break.

Kane then created the second for Spurs in the 50th minute, flicking on a long ball into the path of Dejan Kulusevski who burst into the box and beat Emiliano Martinez with a low shot.

There was a similar pattern to the third goal with Kane cleverly flicking on another long pass right into the stride of Son who ran goalwards before providing a clinical finish to make sure of a fourth win in a row for Spurs.

Son completed his hat-trick in the 71st minute when, from the right flank, he found Kulusevski inside and the Swedish forward unselfishly returned the pass to the South Korean who drilled home off the post.