English Football
Son hits hat-trick as Spurs thrash Burnley
Son Heung-min scored a hat-trick as Tottenham came from a goal down to thrash Burnley at Turf Moor and continue their unbeaten start to the Premier League season.
Lyle Foster executed a magnificent, flowing play to give the Clarets an early lead, but Son’s precise finish equalized 12 minutes later, and the visitors never looked back.
They controlled the remainder of the half, and Cristian Romero’s curling attempt from the edge of the box sealed the comeback on the stroke of halftime.
James Maddison added to his great start to the season with a peach of a goal nine minutes into the second half, looping past James Trafford after Burnley had given the visitors possession within their own half.
Son side-footed past Trafford for his second goal of the game, then completed his triple with a low drive after latching on to Pedro Porro’s wonderful through play.
In stoppage time, Josh Brownhill’s superb finish drew one back for Burnley, but it was only a consolation.
Spurs, who were knocked out of the EFL Cup by Fulham on Tuesday, already have ten points from their first four games, while Burnley have yet to score.
Tottenham were punished for a poor start at Turf Moor, but Heung-min ignited the visitors with his first goal of the game before putting the final touches on yet another impressive performance from Ange Postecoglou’s club.
Spurs took full advantage of the spaces created by Burnley after their skipper’s equalizer calmed his nerves and could have won by a larger margin.
Madison put in another strong performance in midfield, coming close to scoring in the first half before curling home brilliantly early in the second.
The afternoon, though, belonged to Son, who scored his first hat-trick since a 6-2 victory over Leicester in September last year—and his fourth in the Premier League—to propel Tottenham to second place in the fledgling Premier League table.
“Sonny was outstanding,” Postecoglou stated after the game. “With the way he presents himself every day in training, he’s been an outstanding leader. He led our press today, and he has the ability to take risks. I’m overjoyed for him.”
Postecoglou follows Harry Redknapp, Tim Sherwood, and Antonio Conte in accumulating ten points in their first four matches in charge of Tottenham Hotspur, who recorded their largest away victory since a 6-1 victory at Manchester United in October 2020.
Prior to the game, Postecoglou praised opposing number one Vincent Kompany and the mindset he has brought to Turf Moor since his hiring last summer.
The Clarets’ first goal highlighted them at their most attacking. The home side shifted the ball from right to left after regaining possession deep inside their own half, and Connor Roberts released the energetic Luca Koleosho, who outfoxed Porro before finding Foster.
Koleosho’s pace and ingenuity could be important as Burnley attempt to escape a quick return to the Championship this season, but they will need to improve dramatically at the other end to stand a chance.
The Clarets had conceded early in both of their previous Premier League games this season, and their lead here lasted only 12 minutes as Son’s effort handed Spurs an advantage.
At halftime, Kompany introduced Hannes Delcroix and striker Brownhill, but they were far too exposed after the restart, allowing Tottenham to go through them at whim and emerge with a comfortable victory that appeared improbable after Foster’s early opening.
Burnley have lost their first three Premier League games for the fourth time, following the 1920–21, 1927–28, and 2020–21 seasons. The good news for Clarets supporters is that none of those seasons resulted in relegation.
