The English Premier League, unlike other big European leagues, has its busiest month in December. All 20 teams play six or seven games in December. For teams that qualify for the UEFA Champions League, they face a killer schedule.
In the meantime, each team has played three games this month.
One player stands out as the most dominant. Son Heung-min.
Heung-min has five offensive points this month. He scored one goal and assisted another, including the game-winner in the sixth minute of the first half, to help Tottenham draw 3-3 on the road against the reigning world champions. Son also scored the winner in an attacking battle with City's Elling Holland, who has been dubbed a "monster striker. Holland had been held scoreless at Tottenham at the time, assisting Jack Grealish's goal that gave his side a 3-2 lead.
Then, after watching his team come from behind to lose 1-2 at West Ham United on Aug. 8, Son, who worked diligently at the top of the order, was the star of the show in a 4-1 home win over Newcastle on Aug. 11.
Heung-min set up Destiny Udogie's Premier League debut goal with a sharp cross from the left flank in the 26th minute, and then provided an assist on the 38th minute goal that gave the visitors a 2-0 lead. He then "stole" a goal from Newcastle's England international right-back Kieran Trippier, who he played with for four years at Tottenham.
With Spurs up 3-0 in the 40th minute, he won a penalty kick and slotted it home with his right foot. It was his 10th Premier League goal of the season. Tied for third in the league in goals scored. 온라인카지노
With no other Premier League striker dominating this month, Son's fans can look forward to a fifth Premier League Player of the Month award in his career.
He also won the Man of the Match (MOM) award for his performances against Man City and Newcastle, so if he continues to perform as well as he has in the remaining three games, he should be able to claim the award.
The fact that other strikers have faltered is also an advantage for Son.
Holland had just one assist in the first two games of the month before being forced off against Luton Town on October 10 due to bone fatigue. City have three Premier League games left this month, but there is no immediate indication of when Holland will return.
Along with Son, Mohamed Salah is one of the Premier League's best wingers, but he's not far behind Son in the attacking stakes. Salah assisted Japanese midfielder Wataru Endo's goal to tie the game 3-3 at home to Fulham on Sept. 3 and tasted goal in the win over Crystal Palace on Sept. 9. But with one goal and one assist in three games, his overall explosiveness is second only to Son Heung-min.Other players include Fulham's signature striker Raul Jimenez, whose offense has suddenly exploded this month with 13 goals in three games (2 W, 1 D), but he has no assists and the purity of his goals is not high.
Dwight McNair and Abdoulaye Doucoure (2 goals apiece) have been part of Everton's run of three straight wins in December despite the shock of a 10-point drop in points, and are in contention with Son Heung-min for Player of the Month honors.
Son, who joined Tottenham in August 2015, has previously won the Premier League Player of the Month award four times - in September 2016, April 2017, October 2020 and September this year.
Spurs have a tough stretch ahead of them, with a trip to Nottingham on Nov. 16, a home game against Everton on Nov. 24, a trip to Brighton on Nov. 29, and a home game against Bournemouth on Nov. 31. That's a tough four teams, but none of them are in contention for the title, so it's no exaggeration to say that Son has a chance to add to his tally with a win.
With two goals and three assists in three games, it will be interesting to see if Son Heung-min can turn Tottenham's fortunes around and win the December Player of the Month award and join the Klinsmann's boat for the Asian Cup qualifiers early in the new year.