According to former defender Jamie Carragher, Son Heung-min’s miss in Tottenham’s 2-0 loss to Man City is a turning point in the Premier League title race.

In the 86th minute of the rescheduled matchday 34 of the Premier League on May 14, when Man City led 1-0, defender Manuel Akanji lost possession, allowing Son Heung-min to break through and face Stefan Ortega. At the same time, on the sidelines, coach Pep Guardiola held his head, bent his knees, and collapsed onto the ground.

However, Son’s angled low shot was blocked by the Man City goalkeeper with his foot. If the South Korean forward had equalized and the score remained 1-1 until the end of the match, Arsenal would have been the club leading the table before the final matchday on May 19.

“Tottenham caused Man City a lot of problems, considering the chances they created,” Carragher said on Gary Neville’s podcast channel. “Just tonight alone, Ortega helped Man City win the Premier League. Clearly, a lot has happened throughout the season, but if you look at this game, if Ortega hadn’t saved Son’s shot, Arsenal would have won. It shows how intense the title race is.”

Pep’s blood pressure almost peaked after Son’s miss

Carragher likened Ortega’s save to former captain Vincent Kompany’s stunning long-range goal that helped Man City beat Leicester 1-0. This result saw Man City reclaim the top spot from Liverpool and have one more point than their direct competitors before entering the final matchday of the 2018-2019 season, a scenario almost identical to this season.

“Reflecting back a few years as a Liverpool fan, witnessing Kompany’s goal against Leicester, that’s the moment right now for Arsenal fans,” Carragher said. “Son’s miss is the moment Arsenal fans will remember in 5, 10 years. Even if Arsenal win the league in the next 5 years, and they have a chance to do so, Son’s miss will still haunt them.”

Meanwhile, Gary Neville praised Ortega as the best backup goalkeeper in the Premier League. “That’s a moment where time seems to stand still, when Son breaks through,” the former English defender said. “You always need a goalkeeper to shine in the title race. Ortega came on in a challenging situation and created an unbelievable moment.”

Four minutes after Ortega’s save, midfielder Jeremy Doku won a penalty, allowing Erling Haaland to complete his brace and secure a 2-0 victory. This result saw Man City return to the top of the table with 88 points, two points ahead of Arsenal. Pep Guardiola’s team will set a record of winning the English title for the fourth consecutive time if they beat West Ham at home on May 19. Meanwhile, Arsenal can only win the league if they beat Everton, and Man City slip up against West Ham at the Etihad.