He was the last player to leave the pitch and rightly so because, if ever somebody deserved to milk the applause of an appreciative crowd, it was Son Heung-min. The South Korean was magnificent here, delivering a display full of skill, craft and intent. On 32 minutes he combined those traits to score a goal they will be talking about on the Seven Sisters Road, in Seoul and elsewhere for some time to come.

It came from nowhere. To be specific, it came from a Burnley free-kick that Jan Vertonghen managed to hook clear under pressure from James Tarkowski and which neither he nor anyone else in attendance could have imagined would turn into an assist. But that is what happened as the ball fell to Son just outside Tottenham’s area and he set off, dribbling towards glory.

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There were seven Burnley players between the 27-year-old and the visitors’ goal and none of them could get near him. Robbie Brady, Tarkowski, Matthew Lowton and Ben Mee were among those who were outpaced while Erik Pieters’ attempt to stop Son with a swiping tackle midway inside Burnley’s half was dismissed with ease. Son could not be stopped, would not be stopped and, having travelled approximately 90 yards in 15 seconds, he put the ball past Nick Pope with a right-footed finish that was as composed as the buildup had been thrilling.

As Son slid to his knees those watching went either wild in celebration or silent through shock and for Spurs it meant this game had been won before half-time.

They were 3-0 up after Harry Kane and Lucas Moura had also scored in the opening nine minutes. By the end, with Kane having struck again and Moussa Sissoko securing his second goal in three games, the hosts had delivered their best performance of the José Mourinho era. In contrast to how they performed in defeat at Old Trafford in midweek, Spurs were full of intensity and aggression, their passing quick, their movement slick.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Harry Kane scored two for Spurs against Burnley. Photograph: Martin Dalton/REX/Shutterstock

Little wonder Mourinho was all smiles afterwards and from him came a typically attention-grabbing piece of praise for the man of the match. Yes, that’s right, he compared Son to the original Ronaldo.

“Even before this goal my son calls him Sonaldo Nazário,” he said. “Today he was Sonaldo Nazário because the thing that came to my mind is the goal where I had the honour to be sitting next to Sir Bobby Robson – Compostela versus Barcelona, 1996, and Ronaldo Nazário got the ball behind the midfield line and scored a very similar goal. Amazing goal.”

Ronaldo’s goal against Compostela was indeed amazing – iconic even – and it would be stretching it to say Son’s is at the same level. Nevertheless, it was a stunning contribution during arguably the forward’s best display for Spurs since joining the club in August 2015. Having been presented with his Asian international player of the year award before kick-off, he was a constant menace from the left wing and, as well as scoring Spurs’ third goal, contributed to their first two.

There were barely four minutes on the clock when Son played a pass to Kane that resulted in him lashing a 35-yard shot past Pope. After Son drifted past Tarkowski inside Burnley’s area, he hit a shot that Pope managed to save with his foot but the keeper could not prevent a goal after the ball landed at the feet of Lucas at the back post after a deflection off Mee and a flick-on by Dele Alli.

Nine minutes into the second half Alli then played the pass to Kane that led to him securing his 25th goal for club and country this season with another emphatic finish. The England captain then turned provider himself, exchanging passes with Sissoko before the French midfielder poked the ball past Pope.

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Burnley had chances to score themselves, most notably through headers by Brady and Jay Rodriguez in the first half, but they were well beaten, as Sean Dyche conceded. For his counterpart it was a day to savour, in part because it included a first clean sheet of his reign here.

“It was an important result,” said Mourinho. “I am really happy.”