On another day Son Heung-min could quite easily have left Anfield with the match ball. Instead, he left Merseyside downbeat and dejected after Diogo Jota's goal in the fourth minute of stoppage time saw Tottenham's hopes dashed after an incredible fightback that saw them recover from 3-0 down to level things up at 3-3.
Son was the last Tottenham player to exit the pitch after applauding the travelling faithful and his face said a thousand words. He looked completely crestfallen at what had happened in the final few seconds of the game at Anfield.
Showing plenty of fight to get back into the Manchester United game four days earlier as they recovered from two goals down to earn a point, those qualities were on show once again as they somehow battled back from a three-goal deficit.
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To not leave Merseyside with at least a point in the bag was a killer for the team and it is a result that will certainly sting for a while. Following such a horrendous start to the contest one week on from shipping five goals in the first 21 minutes against Newcastle United, Tottenham opened Liverpool up with ease at the end of the first half and perhaps should have been level.
Son was the first to go close as he found himself in space in the area but Virgil van Dijk was on hand to clear his low effort off the line. After Harry Kane volleyed home unmarked moments later to give Spurs hope, Son then saw a curling strike crash off the post, although it would have been ruled out had it gone in with the linesman raising his flag for offside.
Having then passed up a golden opportunity on the stroke of half-time with Dejan Kulusevski opting to shoot on goal rather than squaring to Kane, the chances kept coming for Tottenham after the break. Amid all the criticism coming Spurs' way at present for their defending, Liverpool's was just as bad at times as the Lilywhites carved them open countless times.
Son was unlucky not to get his name on the scoresheet with a low shot that had Alisson beaten but cannoned off the post, with Cristian Romero then striking the other post after Kane had picked him out with an inch-perfect cross. The Argentina international would then combine with Son 13 minutes from time as he played him in and the South Korean finished expertly after an exquisite first touch to get the goal his performance deserved.
Despite Richarlison's equaliser in stoppage time from Son's free-kick, it just wasn't to be for Tottenham as Jota had the final say on a crazy game. Although the feeling was very much that Tottenham maybe should have won the game with all the chances they created, acting head coach Ryan Mason can still take positives from the defeat following some very good performances, notably the one of Son.
Struggling for form at the beginning of the season with only five goals to his name before the turn of the year, the 30-year-old has burst back into life for Tottenham in the past few weeks. His goal against Liverpool now means that he has four in his last five games, with the 6-1 defeat at Newcastle the only match where he didn't manage to find the back of the net.
The change of management also appears to have played its part with Tottenham playing some good attacking football at times under Mason as the acting head coach wants his side playing the type of football that is in the club's DNA. Looking like he also has a bit more freedom under his former teammate and not as restricted in his play, that is certainly going to bring the best out of him and get him back to his previous levels.
Son did make a number of good runs to trouble the Liverpool defence and the confidence appears to be seeping back into his game after his woes in the first few months of 2022/23.
Speaking after Thursday's draw against Manchester United, Mason hailed the player's mentality as he bounced back from a poor miss to level things up at 2-2 after converting Kane's cross. He said: "That's down to mental strength. The top players they put things behind them and Sonny kept making the runs and believing the ball would come to him and he seemed very pleased with the goal in the second half."
Always getting a lift from a goal, Son looks sharper and more like his old self which only bodes well for Tottenham in what remains of the season. With four games left and a European place up for grabs, Tottenham now more than ever need to see their No.7 carry on his good form in front of goal to ensure European football is on the cards in 2023/24.
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