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Ex-PGMOL chief blasts Tottenham forward for penalty incident against Everton

Originally posted on To The Lane And Back
By Jainil Shah | Last updated Jan 19, 2025 9:22 PM ET

The pressure on Ange Postecoglou continues to increase as Tottenham Hotspur suffers defeat against Everton on a 3-2 scoreline at Goodison Park in the Premier League, and former FIFA and Premier League referee Keith Hackett has blasted Lilywhites skipper Son Heung-Min for claims for a first-half penalty.

Penalty incident vs Everton

The Lilywhites have been on the wrong side of results for a while, and the frustrations have started to show among supporters as well as players. And one of those showed when Spurs South Korean ace tried to sneak off a cheap penalty to get his side going earlier today. And his attempt to win a penalty showed how Ange’s side were struggling in front of goal.

Tottenham players appealed for a penalty in the first half (when the scoreboard showed only 1-0 to Everton) when Son Heung-min went down in the box under a challenge by Jarrad Branthwaite, and there is no denying that there was definitely some contact; Hackett insists that the 33-year-old made most out of it, and the contact was not enough for it to be a pen.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Tottenham News in the aftermath of the fixture, he said:

“It’s a clumsy challenge and would have been a harsh penalty kick. Frankly, Son has gone to ground too easily.”

Son fights for future at N17

Son’s form has come under heavy criticism from supporters this season, with his performances appearing below his usual standards. But now you can highlight the individual as well as the team’s underperformance, which sees Tottenham sit in the bottom half of the Premier League table.

While Son has been one of the best players in Tottenham’s recent history, he has not been able to inspire the supporters at N17 this season, and it is to be seen how that plays out in his future at the club given the rumours surrounding a possible exit.

This article first appeared on To The Lane And Back and was syndicated with permission.

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