Burnley 2-5 Spurs | Clive Allen on Sonny’s display and ‘sensational’ first goal

Clive Allen knows a thing or two about scoring goals - and he was full of praise for Heung-Min Son’s hat-trick in the 5-2 win at Burnley - particularly his first goal.

Trailing early, we sprung a break from front to back, Sonny controlled and played left to Manor Solomon, the pair moved into the box, Manor laid it back to Sonny who had the presence of mind to lift the ball over defender Dara O’Shea and advancing goalkeeper James Trafford and home from the right angle,

Two belters from Cuti Romero and James Maddison put us in charge before Sonny put the game beyond Burnley’s reach with two clinical finishes in three minutes to complete his hat-trick and put us 5-1 up.

Speaking on the Review Show on SPURSPLAY, presenter Ben Haines and legendary former striker and coach Clive - whose Club record of 49 goals in a single season in 1986/87 still stands - broke down Sonny’s performance, particularly that opening goal…

Ben: “It wasn’t an ideal start, but we were soon back into it...”

Clive: “You cannot underestimate the quality of the finish. He’s aware of the player closing him down from his left and the goalkeeper coming out and staying quite big, so he needs an exquisite touch to lift it over the goalkeeper. It’s a sensational finish, it really is.”

Ben: “Sonny is one of those players who, once he gets his eye in, you just feel every chance he gets, he’s going to score, that was the toughest, but he made it look easy...”

Clive: “He made it look easy, yes, he’s also confident in his own ability to execute that finish. He knows as soon as the ball is running away from him a little on the right, he’s aware of where the goalkeeper is and aware of where the challenge is. As he takes the ball from Manor Solomon, look at the way he has a look around to see if there is any pressure coming in from anywhere else. He then knows he can take a touch, but once he takes that touch, he’s composed enough and to chip it in the way he does, it’s brilliant. You’ll never tire of watching a finish like that. He showed real class playing down the middle today, had his opportunities and his finishing was sensational.”

Ben: “Break that down for me, Clive, we’ve watched Sonny play off the left, what does he get through playing through the centre perhaps that he doesn’t get the opportunity to do when he’s drifting in off the left?”

Clive: “In the chances we’ve created for him, the ball is in front of him, he’s facing the goal and it’s all about his ability to execute, and that’s exactly what he did. After the first goal, which would have given him great confidence, it almost looks as if there is no doubt in his mind that when the second and third opportunities come along, he takes them so clinically. He’s almost not thinking about it. I’ve been there before, I know the situation - you just go onto the chances with great confidence - right-foot finish first, left-foot finish third, a wonderful performance.”

Ben: “It feels as though Sonny has really grabbed and embraced this captaincy...”

Clive: “Absolutely. You can sense he’s enjoying it. There is no doubt that he’s playing with a smile on his face. He’s relishing the responsibility.”