Son hits quick-fire hat-trick to add to Foxes' woe

Spurs go top with Man City after a six-goal performance. 

KEEPSAKE: Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min waves to the fans as he leaves the pitch with the match ball at the end of the game.

Tottenham Hotspur 6 (Kane 8, Dier 21, Berntancur 47, Son 73, 84, 86) 

Leicester City (Tielemans pen 6, Maddison 41) 

The old cliche about London buses – you wait ages for one and then three turn up – was rarely more appropriate than in the Tottenham Hotspur stadium on Saturday, as Heung Min Son ended his eight-match barren run with a scintillating hat-trick inside 14 minutes, as Spurs thrashed Leicester to move level on points with Manchester City at the top of the Premier League.

For the first eight games of the campaign, Son had looked a shadow of the striker who shared last season's Golden Boot with Mohammed Salah, and was dropped by Antonio Conte for the first time.

But with Spurs hanging on to a 3-2 lead against a plucky Leicester side, Conte sent on Son and was rewarded with the Korean's first hat-trick since April, with two of the goals as good as any he has scored.

He helped Spurs over the line against the Premier League's bottom team, and victory got Spurs back to winning ways after their first defeat of the season, in the Champions League in Lisbon, last Tuesday.

They are now level with City on 17 points from seven games, and still unbeaten in the league.

In a fast and furious opening quarter, Leicester took a sixth-minute lead through a twice-taken Youri Tielemans penalty. Davinson Sanchez was ruled to have fouled James Justin in the area, although the initial offence started outside the box, and referee Simon Hooper pointed to the penalty spot. Hugo Lloris made a marvellous save to tip away Tielemans' shot, but VAR showed the goalkeeper had encroached ahead of the kick and the Belgian was given a second chance. He did not miss.

But Harry Kane – who else? - equalised within two minutes. Dejan Kulusevski, selected ahead of Son, exchanged passes with Ivan Perisic from a short corner and then curled a cross towards the far post, where Kane headed home for his 20th goal against Leicester.

Tottenham then took the lead when Eric Dier celebrated his recent recall to the England squad by putting Spurs ahead, his glancing header flying into the far top corner of the net from a precise corner by Perisic.

Six minutes later, Spurs thought they had increased their lead when Timothy Castagne turned another Perisic corner into his own net, but referee Hooper ruled that Davinson Sanchez had fouled Danny Ward.

The Leicester keeper then made a great save to tip a header from Sanchez on to the crossbar, before James Maddison, Leicester's best player, equalised with a lovely dipping volley from Castagne's cross.

Antonio Conte clearly fired up his players at half-time, having seen them surrender a lot of midfield possession to Maddison and Co, and Tottenham regained the lead two minutes after the restart. Wilfred Ndidi was at fault, dithering on the ball and allowing Rodrigo Bentancur to nick it off his toes, run towards goal and curl it past Ward from 20 yards, the ball going in off the inside of the post.

It was a first Tottenham goal for Bentancur, who was their best player over the 90 minutes, and the Uruguayan set up Son for his first goal. The Korean replaced Richarlison on the hour mark, and 12 minutes later he scored a beauty. Bentancur win the ball inside the Spurs half, played it forward to Son, who advanced on goal, shifted the ball right and curled a shot into the top corner of goal.

Home supporters erupted in celebration, delighted to see one of their favourites end his long goal drought. The player looked relieved and his confidence returned. When Kane played a pass to him 30 yards from goal, Son took one touch and curled in a rocket with his left foot.

The hat-trick goal, two minutes later, was more scruffy as he ran on to Pierre Emile Hojbjerg's pass, shot into goal via a half-hearted save from Ward, and then had to endure a momentary wait while VAR determined that he was onside.

After the final whistle he applauded Tottenham's supporters, clutching the match ball and looking once again like a smiling assassin.

Tottenham 3-4-3 Lloris 7; Sanchez 6 (Romero 59), Dier 7, Lenglet 7; Perisic 7 (Emerson 55), Hojbjerg 7, Bentancur 9, Sessegnon 7; Kulusevski 7 (Bissouma 70), Kane 8, Richarlison 7 (Son 59).

Leicester 4-5-1 Ward 5; Castagne 5, Evans 6, Faes 5, Justin 6; Tielemans 6, Ndidi 6, Maddison 8, Dewsbury-Hall 6 (Iheanacho 74), Barnes 6; Daka 5 (Vardy 74) 

Ref: Simon Hooper 6/10