What Son Heung-min did for LAFC speaks volumes as former Tottenham star sends warning

Son Heung-min continued his blistering start to life in Major League Soccer on Wednesday night, grabbing a hat-trick for Los Angeles FC in a 4-1 win over Real Salt Lake.

The South Korean left Tottenham Hotspur in the summer after a remarkable 10-year stint with the club. His decade in north London culminated in superb style as he lifted the UEFA Europa League trophy following a 1-0 win over Manchester United in Bilbao.

The departure of Ange Postecoglou and the appointment of Thomas Frank ushered in a new era for Spurs — one that ultimately began without Son, who departed for a new adventure in the United States.

While there were some doubts about his ability to perform in the Premier League last season, he has already proven he has more than enough left in the tank to torment MLS defences.

Real Salt Lake were unable to handle the 33-year-old’s running power and finishing throughout Wednesday’s game. Son scored on a breakaway and then from distance in the first half, before capping off another counter-attack in the second to complete his hat-trick.

After the match, Son said he was delighted to hit the ground running in MLS but warned the rest of the division that he can still get better.

“I think I'm still adapting to this league, but I think I can play better than where I am at for sure,” he said. “It’s a lot about communication with the players, and I think I have a very, very close relationship with everyone.

“It’s been five or six weeks, I would say, but everybody has welcomed me so well and we’ve been communicating a lot. Also off the pitch, culture-wise, it’s very important. There are still other things in this league to understand and to build between players, but I think it’s working really well at the moment.”

Five of Son’s six matches for his new club have been away from home so far, but three of the next four will be at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles. On this evidence, the home fans have plenty to be excited about.

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