Son nets 100th Tottenham goal in win over Leeds

LONDON (Reuters): Son Heung-min scored his 100th goal for Tottenham Hotspur as they returned to winning ways with a 3-0 defeat of Leeds United to climb back into the Premier League’s top four on Saturday.

The South Korean doubled Tottenham’s tally just before the interval after strike partner Harry Kane’s penalty had given the hosts the lead on a crisp winter day in north London.

Toby Alderweireld’s header made it 3-0 in the 50th minute.

Tottenham, who topped the table in December, had gone four league games without a win, but a comfortable victory over Leeds sent them into third spot with 29 points from 16 games.

The only blemish was having defender Matt Doherty dismissed in stoppage time for a second yellow card after a late challenge on Pablo Hernandez.

Leeds had enjoyed the better chances until Kane’s 29th-minute penalty, awarded for a foul on Steven Bergwijn, and enjoyed a far larger share of possession. But Marcelo Bielsa’s side’s hopes of starting the year with a third consecutive win were dashed as their defensive frailties returned.

They remain in mid-table with 23 points from 17 games.

The win was a relief for Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho whose day had not had the best of starts when it was revealed three of his players -- Erik Lamela, Giovani Lo Celso and Sergio Reguilon – had breached COVID-19 protocols to attend a Christmas party, earning condemnation from the club.