Preston North End 0-3 Tottenham: Son Heung-min brace and Arnaut Danjuma debut goal send Spurs into round five

Tottenham are through to the fifth round of the FA Cup after a 3-0 win over Preston.

Preston defended resiliently in a match mostly devoid of quality, but Son Heung-min’s fine strike from range in the 50th minute could not be stopped and he added a stylish second in the 69th minute.

Arnaut Danjuma made his Tottenham debut as a substitute and he got on the scoresheet in the 87th minute to seal Spurs’ progression in the competition.

Tottenham could not break down a compact Preston defence in a scrappy first half.

Son looked the most likely to score with two goalbound efforts. The first attempt was pushed away by Freddie Woodman in the 15th minute and the second chance was tipped over the bar seven minutes later.

Son did get a deserved goal shortly after the break with a fine shot, bending his left-footed effort into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.

Tottenham put more pressure on the Preston backline after the break and Son got his second of the evening. The South Korea international spun his marker Jordan Storey inside the Preston box before driving his strike into the top corner.

Preston pushed more men foward to find at least a consolation goal, but the tiring hosts were not able to create a clear goalscoring opportunity.

Tottenham added a late third through Danjuma. Dejan Kulusevski, who was one of Tottenham’s main attacking threats alongside Son, squared the ball across the penalty box for the Villarreal loanee to slot into the bottom corner.

TALKING POINT – Son the difference for Spurs

Son has been less than prolific for Spurs this season but his two goals at Deepdale were the only real moments of quality in the match. Aside from a fine 360 spin from Rodrigo Bentancur in the first half.

Son – who was last season’s joint Premier League top goalscorer – and Antonio Conte will be hoping this game will kickstart his return to goalscoring form with crucial Premier League fixtures and a Champions League last 16 tie with AC Milan on the horizon.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH – Son Heung-min

Son scored twice on the night with two high quality strikes. He was the only player in the Tottenham starting XI who looked likely to score in the game.

PLAYER RATINGS

Preston: Woodman (7), Storey (5), Lindsay (6), Hughes (6), Brown (5), McCann (6), Ledson (6), Whiteman (6), Brady (5), Cannon (6), Evans (6)

Subs: Woodburn (6), Fernandez (N/A), Johnson (N/A), Cross-Adair (N/A)

Tottenham: Forster (7), Tanganga (6), Sanchez (6), Lenglet (6), Doherty (6), Sessegnon (6), Bentancur (6), Bissouma (6), Kulusevski (7), Perisic (7), Son (9)

Subs: Skipp (6), Danjuma (6), Emerson (6), Gil (N/A)

KEY MOMENTS

23′ – ANOTHER GOOD STOP FROM WOODMAN Son cuts in onto his right boot and has a shot looking for the top corner, but Woodman tips his curling effort over the bar!

50′ – GOAL!! WHAT A GOAL FROM SON! Son was Tottenham’s only goalscoring threat in the first half and he deservedly gets a goal by bending a brilliant left-footed strike from 25-yards out into the bottom corner!

69′ – GOAL! ANOTHER STRIKE FROM SON! Son picks the ball up in the box, twists and fires a left-footed shot into the top corner, leaving Woodman with no chance. Tottenham are surely through to the fifth round!

87′ – GOAL! DANJUMA ADDS A THIRD FOR TOTTENHAM! Kulusevski’s cross into the box finds Danjuma who slots the ball into the net on his Tottenham debut!

KEY STAT