Tottenham Hotspur strike duo, Harry Kane and Son Heung-min, both scored in Sunday’s 2-0 derby win over Arsenal, but manager Jose Mourinho was more impressed with their work rate when Spurs were out of possession.
Spurs absorbed huge amounts of Arsenal pressure and scored twice on the counter-attack in the first half, with Kane and Son assisting each other in two clinical moves.
Mourinho praised his two forwards, who have scored 18 league goals between them this season, for being “world class professionals.”
“They are working like animals, with all due respect to animals, I love animals,” Mourinho told Sky Sports.
“They worked amazingly hard when the team didn’t have the ball. Harry Kane was clearing balls in the box. Son, in the first 60 minutes as a winger working a lot on (Hector) Bellerin, then as a second striker working a lot on the centre-backs.
“They have a very good sense of the balance that they need and they also do incredible tactical work for the team when the team doesn’t have the ball,” he added.
Spurs’ form has given fans hope that their trophy drought will soon be over. They have not won the league since 1961 and last picked up a trophy in 2008 with their League Cup triumph.
“One game at a time,” Kane said. “We are doing well in a tough period, but results like these will only help us.
“We go away to Crystal Palace next week and then to Liverpool (three days later), so the tough games keep on coming,” he added.
Spurs have now picked up seven points from their last three games against Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal. They lead the table on goal difference from Liverpool.