Son Heung-min substitution defended by Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou in comeback win over Aston Villa

Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou defended his decision to substitute Son Heung-min in the 56th minute of his side’s 4-1 victory over Aston Villa on Sunday. Son – on his return from a three-match layoff through injury – provided an assist for Brennan Johnson’s equaliser on 49 minutes before being removed, to which the South Korea international seemed bewildered.

Son Heung-min was “never going to play more than 55 minutes” for Tottenham Hotspur against Aston Villa on Sunday, Ange Postecoglou said as he defended his decision to substitute the forward.
Son, returning from a three-match absence through injury, was a livewire at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and assisted Brennan Johnson for his side’s equaliser four minutes after half-time, cancelling out Morgan Rogers’ early opener.

But the Spurs captain was taken off seven minutes later, which seemed to leave him bemused – pointing to himself with a confused expression – as he watched his side run home a further three goals to earn an eventually comfortable 4-1 victory against Villa.

Postecoglou said Son was always going to have limited game-time in the Premier League match, after his rushed return from a previous injury caused a further absence.
“He was never going to play more than 55 minutes,” the Spurs boss told BBC Sport. “Last time he came back from injury he got to the 60-minute mark and got injured again. He got through unscathed.”
The victory closed Spurs’ gap to sixth-place Villa to two points, and helped Postecoglou’s side build on their Carabao Cup victory over Manchester City on Wednesday, which followed a disappointing 1-0 defeat to strugglers Crystal Palace last weekend.