Liverpool have plenty of reasons to be wary of a formidable Tottenham Hotspur side this Sunday, but over time, one player has proven to be a particular thorn in their side when these two teams clash. Son Heung-Min, without a doubt, thrives when playing against the Reds, boasting a scoring record that would unsettle any team.
The South Korean forward seems to take particular delight in giving Liverpool and ex-manager Jurgen Klopp a hard time. Even with a new gaffer at the helm for Liverpool, Arne Slot is fully cognizant of the threat posed by Ange Postecoglu’s powerful, albeit inconsistent, squad.
However, despite his impressive goal tally, Son’s win record against Liverpool leaves much to be desired. He’s only clinched victory in two of the 18 matches he’s played against the Reds, including Tottenham’s loss in the 2019 Champions League final.
Nonetheless, Slot will be acutely aware that the South Korean poses a significant threat and could seriously dent their title aspirations if he continues his current form into Sunday’s match. If Slot harbors any doubts, his predecessor certainly recognized that the now 32-year-old forward is nearly impossible to halt.
Klopp confessed to KBS News in November 2021 of his painful miss: “One of the biggest mistakes in my life is not signing Son Heung-min,” lamenting his failure to snap up the South Korean star back when he was in charge at Borussia Dortmund. “Outstanding player. He is fantastic, a sign of Korean football and one of the best strikers in the world.”
Heung-Min Son of Tottenham Hotspur could have played under Jurgen Klopp
Despite Klopp’s intentions in 2013, Son choose a move to Bayer Leverkusen over Dortmund, as he later clarified, “I wanted to stay in the Bundesliga. Leverkusen and Dortmund wanted me.
“Both teams play in the Champions League but I thought Dortmund would use rotation more than Leverkusen. That’s why I chose Leverkusen over Dortmund. It’s really important to play regularly at my age.”
After impressing at Leverkusen with 29 goals over two seasons, Son bagged a transfer to Spurs as Klopp departed Germany. He has proved to be a thorn in the Liverpool side ever since and will skipper Spurs on Sunday.
