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Tottenham Hotspur winger Dejan Kulusevski has shed light on captain Son Heung-min’s upbeat mood in the dressing room, despite the South Korean star’s visible frustration at being substituted in the 56th minute during Spurs’ 4-1 win over Aston Villa on Sunday.
Son, who recently returned from injury, appeared disappointed as he left the pitch with the game tied at 1-1. Yet Kulusevski emphasized that Son’s spirits were high afterward. “He was very happy, very happy,” Kulusevski confirmed.
Kulusevski empathized with Son’s reaction, noting, “I understand that he was disappointed because he was playing really well in the second half and creating chances. When your body can’t go any further, it’s frustrating. The most important thing for a football player is to be on the pitch.”
The Swedish international also recalled his confidence in Tottenham’s performance, anticipating the team’s dominance after a tied first half. “At half-time, I told the lads, ‘If we score one, we’ll score four,’ and that’s exactly what happened,” he said. Kulusevski’s prediction proved accurate when his assist led to Dominic Solanke’s goal, helping secure Spurs’ victory. “As soon as we scored one with a lovely cross from Sonny and a good finish from Brennan [Johnson], I knew we were going to win,” he added.
Manager Ange Postecoglou addressed Son’s limited minutes, explaining the cautious approach to Son’s recent return from injury. “He was never going to play more than that today,” Postecoglou remarked. “Last time, he fatigued around the 60-minute mark, so we capped him at 55-60 minutes, regardless of the game’s progress.”
Despite the early substitution, Postecoglou praised Son’s impact on the match, including his crucial assist for Tottenham’s opening goal. “He made a pretty important contribution before coming off,” the manager said. “We’ve got more battles ahead, and we need him fit. I didn’t see any difference in Sonny. Any player would feel the same coming off when they’re feeling good.”
As Spurs look forward, the focus remains on managing key players’ fitness. “The overall picture is what matters most,” Postecoglou concluded.
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