The Spurs forward was suspended for the Champions League semi-final first leg at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Tottenham Hotspur defender Kieran Trippier has given his thoughts to his side’s Champions League semi-final first-leg home defeat to Ajax on Tuesday night.
While he admits Spurs struggled in the opening stages and suggested that had little reply to the visitors’ tactics, the full-back feels Mauricio Pochettino’s side improved as the game went on.
Ajax won 1-0 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and were particularly dominant in the first half hour, of the game during which Donny van de Beek scored the game’s only goal when he steered past Hugo Lloris from close range.
Tottenham, who were also left reeling by the departure of Jan Vertonghen due to his head injury, set about trying to get back into the game in the second half, but Ajax came closest to scoring again when David Neres struck the inside of the post .
Looking ahead to the second leg in Amsterdam, Trippier commented on Son Heung-min being available for that game, suggesting the South Korea international – who was suspended for the first leg – could make a huge difference in the deciding game.
“It was a difficult first 20, 25 minutes,” Trippier told Sky Sports News. “We just couldn’t close them down as we like to, the pressing that we do week in, week out. I thought we gradually got into the game and kept on pushing. We gave everything to try and equalise in the second half
“Sonny is back for the next leg and we will give everything we have got. We all believe, we have the belief in the squad. Next Wednesday, we have nothing to lose. We will try to score as many goals as we can, like we did at Man City – and anything can happen.”
Son has made 45 appearances in all competitions for Tottenham this season, scoring 20 goals and weighing in with 10 assists, according to Transfermarkt.
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