Son Heung-Min admits he's glad Spurs are underdogs in three-way title race

Tottenham have emerged as unlikely contenders following Man City's poor run of form as Son looks to keep pace with Liverpool

Son Heung-min is not the first South Korean to say he is happy to remain beneath the radar.

But do not be fooled. The Asian superstar insists Tottenham are genuine Premier League title contenders — even if nobody is talking about them.

Son scored his second successive  double as Spurs thrashed Bournemouth 5-0 at Wembley on Boxing Day to maintain their stealth  challenge for the top-flight crown.

And that  mauling moved Mauricio  Pochettino’s men above Manchester City to second, six points behind Liverpool.

Yet most still believe the chase for the championship is a two-horse race between the Kop and City.

Son, 26, said: “We are halfway through and now we are second, six points behind, but actually no one is saying anything about us still.

“I don’t want to think about it, it’s tighter than before but people still don’t believe we’re second.

“That’s why we have to be focused on ourselves, play our own game, play like we always play.

“We’re getting closer but no one still likes to speak about us. That’s why we want to focus on what we do on the pitch, nothing else.”

Son acknowledges the fact nobody outside Spurs is talking them up for the title could work in their favour.

He added: “Maybe it can help us. I try to think positively always and we can do it because the players think the same as me. We’re not thinking about City, we’re not thinking about Liverpool.

“We’re just going our own way and we will see what happens.”

Bookies make Liverpool and City favourites to contest the title but  Spurs have defied the odds all season.

No summer signings, their top stars knackered from the World Cup and the opening of their new stadium delayed indefinitely — even another top-four finish looked beyond them.

Just eight weeks ago they floundered in fifth place in the table after City beat them 1-0 at Wembley.

But a run of eight Prem wins out of nine transformed the landscape.

Pochettino and his players are now well placed to launch their best bid for the title since they went neck-and-neck with eventual champs Leicester in 2015-16 before imploding on the home straight and somehow finishing third.

The pain of that Devon Loch moment still runs deep in the Spurs dressing room and Son believes they will be better this time for that agony.

He said: “Every season we learn something as we’ve been so close, so  close and we’re still young. These people deserve to win something because they work hard. More than other players.

“I want to just believe and that’s my main concept. I want to believe we can do it. We deserve to do it and look forward to showing it every week.”

Son, who never declines an interview request after matches and bows to greet journalists from his homeland, is surely the politest Prem star.

He is the epitome of Spurs’ title challenge — quiet  but very effective.

Having missed three league games early in the season while helping South Korea win football gold at the Asian Games, Tottenham will be without Son for a few weeks next month as he represents his country at the Asian Cup.

He could miss five games — a big blow to Spurs and their title hopes.

After a slow start to the campaign he has  five goals in his last three matches.

But typically modest, Son said: “It’s not just me, we’re all playing very well. We scored five goals against Bournemouth and six at Everton.

“It’s a pleasure to win these big games and get three points again. But I’m human and of course I can play better. I believe I can play better.

“I learn every single day, in every game. I try to do my best and be a top player and perform like always to be better and better. It can make me better every single day.

“I think every player in the squad thinks like that and that’s why we’re going in a good way.”