Tottenham Hotspur captain Son Heung-min equalled a club assist record with a pair of helpers in the Lilywhites' 5-0 Premier League demolition of Southampton.
The South Korea international came into the St Mary's encounter having tormented the Saints in the past, registering 17 direct goal involvements in his 17 previous matches against them in all competitions.
That tally became 20 from 18 on Sunday evening, as Son was involved in three of Tottenham's five first-half goals during their dismantling of Russell Martin's side, registering one of his own and two assists.
After Djed Spence and James Maddison combined for Tottenham's opener in the 36th second, Son doubled Spurs' advantage with a crisp half-volley at the back post, before swapping professional finishing for playmaking excellence.
Following Dejan Kulusevski taking Tottenham's tally to three, Son poked the ball infield to Pape Sarr to strike the Lilywhites' fourth, and the 32-year-old bagged his second assist for Maddison right at the end of the opening half.
Son draws level with Darren Anderton assist record
© Imago
In doing so, the former Bayer Leverkusen man moved onto 68 Premier League assists in a Tottenham shirt, the joint-most for the Lilywhites in the competition alongside Darren Anderton.
Even though Son's contract in North London is up at the end of the season, the club are expected to trigger a one-year extension for the South Korean, who will almost certainly surpass Anderton before the season is up.
The 32-year-old has not been able to consistently produce in the Spurs attack this season, but Sunday's haul takes him up to a respectable six goals and six assists from 18 matches in all competitions in the 2024-25 season.
Son's strike on the South Coast also marked his 168th for the club in all competitions, putting him just six behind Martin Chivers (174) for the fourth-most in Tottenham history.
As well as Son's slice of individual success, Tottenham achieved a feat that they had never previously managed in the Premier League, scoring five goals in the first half of a game.
© Imago
After Spurs took Southampton to the cleaners in the first half, Ange Postecoglou's men unsurprisingly eased off in the second period, where Southampton's Mateus Fernandes had a goal disallowed, and Brennan Johnson spared a gilt-edged chance to make it 6-0 right at the death.
What next for Tottenham after Southampton slaughter?
Spurs' first win in six matches has propelled them back into the top half of the Premier League table at the expense of London rivals Brentford, who were beaten 2-1 by Chelsea in Sunday's derby.
The Lilywhites now turn their attention back to the EFL Cup and a quarter-final date with Manchester United on Thursday evening, three days before they face Premier League leaders Liverpool at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The only blot on the notebook for Tottenham on Sunday was a first-half injury to left-back Destiny Udogie, who trudged off for Pedro Porro after playing a key role in helping to set up Sarr's goal.
Ben Knapton
