Pep Guardiola has spoken about both Harry Kane and Heung-min Son after Tottenham Hotspur’s defeat to Manchester City on Tuesday night.
Despite putting in a shift against the champions-elect, Tottenham fell short on Tuesday night with goals from Erling Haaland providing the difference.
However, that was not enough to satisfy Ange Postecoglou after the game with the Australian left seething with the night on the whole.
The atmosphere at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium can only be described as strange with large sections of the home crowd cheering on City’s goals as they went in.
And the mood could have been even more bizarre had Heung-min Son taken his chance when City were only one goal ahead.
With the South Korean’s one-on-one chance still playing on his mind, Guardiola issued a message on both Son and Harry Kane after years of watching his side struggle against Spurs.
What Pep Guardiola said about Heung-min Son and Harry Kane
Tottenham’s Champions League hopes vanished last night with anything other than a win securing Aston Villa qualification.
But it could have led to a nervous final few minutes around north London had Son taken his golden opportunity against Stefan Ortega.
The South Korean has shown some of his best form this season but, in recent weeks, he has looked off the boil.
And he certainly provided City with a huge let-off in their title push with no one more relieved than Manuel Akanji.
Speaking after the game to the media, Guardiola admitted that he has suffered enough over the years at the hands of Tottenham’s captain.
“You know how many times Son punishes us the last seven, eight years? How many goals they score with Harry Kane? Oh my god,” he said.
“Stefan makes an incredible save. He has this talent, one vs one he is one of the best keepers I’ve seen in my entire life. He has the German culture, stand up, don’t go down.”
Heung-min Son’s incredible record vs Manchester City makes miss even more shocking
It is a fixture which Son has flourished in over the years with the South Korean coming up with some huge moments for Tottenham against City.
Statistics via Transfermarkt.
And you only have to look back at some of the goals he has scored against City to appreciate the influence he has had in this fixture.
The goals against City in that Champions League run to the final, the winning goal under Nuno Espirito Santo’s reign and even the equaliser at the Etihad back in 2016/17.
This is a player who has tormented a dominant City side since he joined almost a decade ago.
And that is why it is so surprising that the 31-year-old did not convert last night and Guardiola is clearly of the same thinking.