Son Heung-min produced the perfect response after being dropped as the South Korea forward came off the bench to seal Tottenham's 2-0 win against West Ham on Sunday.
Son has struggled badly this season and his poor form convinced Tottenham's absentee boss Antonio Conte to axe him for the Premier League clash.
But Son made his point to Conte as he came off the bench to net Tottenham's second goal after Emerson Royal put the hosts ahead in the second half.
Son's ninth goal in all competitions this season mirrored his hat-trick against Leicester in September, which came after he was dropped and then introduced as a substitute.
Tottenham's win over their struggling London rivals lifted them one point above Newcastle into fourth place, although the Magpies have a game in hand.
Conte was watching on television back home in Italy after deciding he had returned too soon following his gallbladder surgery, with assistant coach Cristian Stellini taking instructions from his recuperating manager.
It was a much-needed victory for Tottenham, who were thrashed at Leicester last weekend, then lost 1-0 at AC Milan in the Champions League last 16 first leg.
Stellini has now won all three matches while deputising for Conte this season.
Just 46 seconds had gone when West Ham went close through Jarrod Bowen, who hit a half-volley just wide.
Tottenham were angered when a VAR check ruled that Richarlison's shot, which clearly struck Thilo Kehrer's outstretched hand, was not worthy of a penalty.
Spurs struggled to find any rhythm as the half wore on and their first shot on target from Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg drew sarcastic cheers from frustrated fans.
Richarlison has struggled to make an impact since his £60 million ($72m) move to Tottenham from Everton last year, scoring just two goals.
The Brazilian's lack of form was evident again when he took a poor angle from Harry Kane's pass, losing his position and allowing Lukasz Fabianski to save.
Richarlison shot straight at Fabianski again early in the second half, but Tottenham finally made their territorial dominance count in the 56th minute.
Ben Davies's pass split the West Ham defence and Emerson showed unexpected composure for a player with just one goal this season as the right-back drilled a confident finish past Fabianski from just inside the area.
Fraser Forster preserved Tottenham's lead moments later with a fine save from Bowen's powerful drive.
Son's exile ended when he came on for Richarlison in the 67th minute and he was on the scoresheet within five minutes.
Kane's superb pass took two West Ham defenders out of the game and Son's touch was perfect as he controlled deftly before slotting past Fabianski from 12 yards.
BLACKBERRY
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The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
Directed by Sam Mendes
Starring Dean-Charles Chapman, George MacKay, Daniel Mays
4.5/5
If you go...
Etihad flies daily from Abu Dhabi to Zurich, with fares starting from Dh2,807 return. Frequent high speed trains between Zurich and Vienna make stops at St. Anton.
If you go
The flights
Etihad (etihad.com) flies from Abu Dhabi to Luang Prabang via Bangkok, with a return flight from Chiang Rai via Bangkok for about Dh3,000, including taxes. Emirates and Thai Airways cover the same route, also via Bangkok in both directions, from about Dh2,700.
The cruise
The Gypsy by Mekong Kingdoms has two cruising options: a three-night, four-day trip upstream cruise or a two-night, three-day downstream journey, from US$5,940 (Dh21,814), including meals, selected drinks, excursions and transfers.
The hotels
Accommodation is available in Luang Prabang at the Avani, from $290 (Dh1,065) per night, and at Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp and Resort from $1,080 (Dh3,967) per night, including meals, an activity and transfers.
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
Globalization and its Discontents Revisited
Joseph E. Stiglitz
W. W. Norton & Company
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Nepotism is the name of the game
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
