When Harry Kane limped off thirteen minutes into the second half tonight, the presumption was that Spurs chances of overcoming Man City limped off with him.
It's not the first-time Mauricio Pochettino has had to watch on as his talismanic captain and primary goal-getter has been helped from the field of play this season.
Not the sight Tottenham fans want to see...
Harry Kane is helped straight down the tunnel after turning his left ankle in a challenge with Fabian Delph. pic.twitter.com/TdLyzZvwMg— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) April 9, 2019
The England skipper tore ankle ligaments in the dying seconds of the North London's side 1-0 defeat to a Manchester United side still riding the crest of an Ole Solskjaer sized wave in mid-January, subsequently missing the next four Premier League games in the process.
Clamour immediately turned to who the Argentine would sign to replace the side's top goal scorer and winner of two of the last three Premier League golden boots.
Poch knew better than any of us, unsurprisingly, that despite the prognosis keeping Kane out until March, Spurs would only have to get through the game at bottom side Fulham the following weekend before being back on a workable keel.
The reason came in the shape of Son Heung Min.
The South Korean missed the come from behind win at Craven Cottage, where Harry Winks scored a last-gasp winner, due to his participation in the Asian Games, but was on hand to return for Spurs next league game at home to Watford.
He grabbed an 80th-minute equaliser as the home side went on to win 2-1 against the Hornets, before grabbing the only goal of the game against Newcastle four days later.
Revelling in an advanced role in Kane's absence, he would pick up his third in as many games in a 3-1 victory over Leicester, before Kane's early return to the spear of the attack away to Burnley on February 23rd.
With Son shunted back into a support role, the spark was almost instantly extinguished.
Spurs would lose 2-1 at Turf Moor. In fact, they didn't taste league victory once during March, suffering losses at Chelsea, Southampton and Liverpool before finally getting back to winning ways on Friday night when Crystal Palace became the first side to visit their swanky new stadium.
Tonight, as the same stadium groaned and grimaced, and the what-ifs began, Son did what he does. When placed at the heart of the Spurs attack, the former Leverkusen man delivers. More often now than ever.
Tottenham's new stadium erupts! 🙌
Son scores and Spurs take the lead against Manchester City!
HUGE! 👊 pic.twitter.com/vnszpNxLMV— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) April 9, 2019
In a season where Kane and fellow English international Dele Alli have seemed somewhat off the post-World Cup pace, it has been the man from the Orient that has delivered when Spurs needed it most.
Before tonight, his 39 game season had produced 17 goals - 12 of those coming in ties where at least one of the English duo have not started.
The evidence is there for all to see if they want to see it enough.
Son performs better in a side where he is front and centre and the question now is, how long will he be content in playing second-fiddle to the Alli's and, in particular, the Kane's of this world?
Some may yet to be convinced, but when the chips have been down this season it's been one man family Spurs have turned to for comfort.
No longer the Son, but the father.
