Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son at Tottenham: the statistics behind the history of the best double act in the Premier League | Football news

Sergio Agüero and David Silva were a great combination. Tottenham fans might even grudgingly acknowledge that Thierry Henry and Robert Pires had their moments for Arsenal. But on the day of the derby it was Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son who combined twice to give Spurs a 2-0 victory and leave both behind on the Premier League association list.

Only Didier Drogba and Chelsea’s Frank Lampard have scored more goals in Premier League history. Their record was 36 goals, but with Kane and Son already at 31, chances are high that this duo will surpass that count this season. If they do, it might even be enough to lead José Mourinho’s team to the title.

Kane was magnanimous about his participation in Son’s first goal, a wonderful kinky effort that beat Bernd Leno from 20 yards. “When I’m passing it to him and he’s cutting inside and whipping the top bins it’s an easy game for me,” said the Spurs forward. Sky sports.

But that was not the whole story.

It was Kane’s ability to hold the ball that facilitated movement, reacting faster to find a space away from Gabriel before evading Thomas Partey’s attention. Then he had the presence of mind to find his partner on the left channel. “He’s gotten absolutely amazing at it,” Gary Neville said. Sky sports. “That little touch, he changes it and gives it to Son.”

Surprisingly, this was the eighth time this season that Kane has provided the assist for a Son goal. It is not yet a Premier League record. Stan Collymore had nine for Robbie Fowler and Mike Newell did the same for Alan Shearer. But that was more than a full season. There are still 27 games of this one. These are staggering numbers.

Ten assists is Kane’s overall tally for the season now, one with only 11 games. No player has reached double digits to get assists faster, not even Kevin De Bruyne.

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What sets Kane apart, of course, is what he did just before the halftime break. His left-handed shot on the roof of the net reduced any hope of a comeback from Arsenal. It was his eighth goal of the season in the Premier League. The arch-creator is still a goal machine.

The effectiveness of the association is further illustrated by the list of players who have participated in the most goals this season. Kane is a long way from the rest at 18. But who is the next man on that list? It’s Son, the man who selflessly introduced you for the second here.

It has been five years since Son made his Tottenham debut alongside Kane in a 1-0 win over Sunderland in September 2015. But while both were individual successes, it took some time for this partnership to take shape. They had only one assist each in that first season together, and none of those assists went to the other.

Awareness of the game has developed, an appreciation that loaning the ball to a teammate will reap rewards for the team and the association. “We are at an age where we are entering our prime in terms of understanding the game and understanding each other,” Kane said.

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Asked about his star partner after the game, it was no surprise that Mourinho chose to accentuate another aspect of his performance by repelling Arsenal on Sunday.

“They are working like animals – with all due respect for animals, I love animals, don’t get me wrong – working incredibly hard when the team didn’t have the ball,” he said. Sky Sports. “Harry Kane clearing balls in his own box, They are in the first 60 minutes as a winger, working a lot with [Hector] Bellerin, and then as a second striker, working hard with the central defender.

“It’s not just about scoring goals and being world-class players. They are also great guys, great professionals, who give their all for the team.”

That’s easier to do when the award is so clear to see. This season may be young, but the Advent calendars are open and Tottenham top the table. Three games against Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal have contributed seven points. These players are seeing the results of their hard work and dreaming of where it could lead them in the spring.

“Everyone is buying this because they are winning,” Neville said. “You can see that there is a form and a spirit.” Kane himself said the same thing. “It is a season in which we are all going in the same direction,” he added. “Everyone on the field is ready to defend, attack, do whatever it takes to win the game. I’m happy to do it. I’m happy to win games.

With the best association of strikers in the Premier League in this frame of mind, in this system, and playing with this attitude, Tottenham are in a good position to win many more.