This has been a bitterly frustrating campaign for Tottenham attacker Heung-min Son.

The South Korean is usually an effervescent character sporting a cheeky grin and dazzling footballing ability but that has seldom been seen in 2022/23.

After the first game of 2023, Son has only found the net on three occasions in the Premier League, a shoddy record for someone usually so dangerous in the final third.

Indeed, the 30-year-old beat the goalkeeper a whopping 24 times last term, a tally that saw him recognised as one of the most difficult players to deal with in the entire English top flight.

Unfortunately, his powers have dwindled significantly under Antonio Conte this season, a fact that was on show in the club's 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa on New Years' day.

Son did his best to make things happen but ultimately he was incredibly wasteful, with the tone very much being set for his afternoon in the first half.

He exchanged passes on the edge of the area but overhit a simple ball towards Harry Kane that would have presented the Englishman with a simple finish from close range.

Despite that lapse in judgement, it was still perhaps the brightest spark for the attacker in a game where his threat was severely restricted.

Towards the end of the encounter, Sky Sports' lead commentator claimed it has been a "dreadfully disappointing" afternoon for the South Korea international, criticism that was certainly warranted.

Son currently looks a shadow of his former self, having managed just two shots in the match that amounted to a dreadful xG of 0.06.

It was his creativity that was the worst aspect of his game on Sunday, though, with the Spurs number 7 failing to come up with the goods that Kane desperately needed.

He played just one key pass and was successful with only one of his seven crosses during the 90 minutes.

Although the former Bayer Leverkusen man was fouled three times, he ultimately lost possession 16 times throughout, a statistic that is rather damning even for a player who runs with the ball as often as he does.

Now with no goal in his last eight league outings, it is time for the £44m-rated wide man to turn around his form otherwise Conte's men will be left behind in the race for a Champions League spot. As such, they cannot continue to carry an underperforming asset. He needs to start performing and soon.