Son Heung-min said he needed his two stunning goals against Preston in order to boost his confidence as he helped Tottenham reach the FA Cup fifth round.
The South Korean won the Premier League Golden Boot with 23 goals last season but has so far struggled to match that form in 2022-23.
The 30-year-old was inspired at Deepdale, belting in a 30-yard strike to break the deadlock on 50 minutes.
“I needed those goals for my confidence,” Son told BBC Sport.
“As a striker or as an attacking player, the important thing is that you get that goal. It’s important that I could help the team go to the next round. I’m very, very happy.”
After his opener Son soon doubled the advantage, turning and finishing smartly amid torrential rain.
Arnaut Danjuma, signed on loan from Villarreal this week, completed the scoring after coming on as a late substitute.
Tottenham assistant manager Cristian Stellini praised Son after the game, saying: “Sonny is a great player.
“He has to wait for the right moment to find the space. He was very focused on the match. He had to wait for a right time to do a good job.”
Antonio Conte’s side go into the draw for the fifth round, which takes place on Monday evening.
(BBC Sport)
