Pochettino Insists Son Deserves More Praise While Likening Kane to Messi & Ronaldo

Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino has insisted that winger Son Heung-min deserves more credit for his performances than he is getting and has suggested it is because Harry Kane, who he likened to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, is the focus of the spotlight.

Son has contributed four goals and three assists in six Premier League games since the start of December, but it is only natural that he has been overshadowed by Kane after the home-grown hero scored eight goals in the same period, including back-to-back hat-tricks.

Pochettino says the same thing happens to players who are team-mates of Messi or Ronaldo.

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"[Son] is so important for us. He is scoring a lot of goals and he is very consistent in training and in his performances. I think he is a very good player for us," the boss is quoted as saying by ESPN.

"It is true that maybe he doesn't get the headlines of Harry and other players but it is good to recognise him. He is a great guy and a very good professional. He is always there and he scores a lot of goals," the Argentine added.

"It's like a player next to Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo that deserve a lot of credit.

"When you are next to Harry Kane, who scores and scores, and all that he achieves it is normal that the focus is more on Harry Kane or on Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo than Son."

Son, Kane and Spurs resume Premier League action on Tuesday evening with an away game at bottom club Swansea, who won for the first time under new manager Carlos Carvalhal at the weekend after a 2-1 victory against Watford.