LONDON (AP) — Son Heung-min ended his goal drought this season by scoring a hat trick after coming off the bench in Tottenham’s 6-2 win over last-placed Leicester in the English Premier League on Saturday.
The result left Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers’ job under serious threat after six straight losses for his team.
Son was rotated — or was he dropped? — for the game after a run of poor performances and entered in the 59th minute with the score at 3-2. The South Korea forward curled two shots into the top corner and completed his 13-minute hat trick in the 86th with a strike under Leicester goalkeeper Danny Ward. The goal needed to be confirmed by video review before he was sure of being the seventh Premier League player to score a hat trick as a substitute.
“My finishing has been poor this season,” Son said. “I’ve also been a little bit unlucky with an own-goal, two offside goals and hitting the crossbar.
“I knew goals were coming and I wasn’t worried. I’ve always had great supporters, teammates and coaches behind me.”
Harry Kane and Eric Dier scored following corners as Tottenham responded to conceding in the sixth minute to Youri Tielemans’ penalty, which needed to be retaken because Hugo Lloris was off the line when he saved the first kick.
James Maddison hooked in an equalizer before halftime only for Leicester to fall behind again when Wilfred Ndidi was dispossessed by Rodrigo Bentancur, who drove forward to curl home.
It was a second consecutive heavy loss for Rodgers — after a 5-2 at Brighton two weeks ago — to ensure Leicester remained bottom of the league, winless and on just one point.
The Foxes have conceded 22 goals in seven games.
“For 73 minutes, it was a good game and we were arguably the better side with the chances we created,” Rodgers said. “We got punished for mistakes.”
Rodgers accepted his job was under pressure heading into a two-week international break, which gives Leicester time to bed in a new manager.
“I understand the game,” he said. “The scoreline didn’t reflect the game but the bottom line is it’s a heavy defeat. They (the owners) have given me brilliant support. Whatever happens to me at Leicester, whether I stay and continue to fight on, I’ll always respect them.”
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