South China Morning Post

Thursday’s game was something of a historic occasion, marking the first time Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur had played each other outside the UK.

And three weeks before the Premier League gets under way, a North London derby seemed like the ideal way to kick pre-season into high gear. Kick being the operative word when these two sides meet.

If that wasn’t enough, Arsenal fans got their first glimpse of Viktor Gyokeres wearing the number made famous by Thierry Henry. Spurs fans, meanwhile, may have had their last look at their captain Son Heung-min, who is rumoured to be on his way.

Read on for all that and more at Kai Tak Stadium.

Reporting by Mike Chan, Harvey Kong, Timon Johnson, Paul McNamara, Tom Bell and Josh Ball

Four of the world’s biggest teams will descend on Hong Kong this summer for a festival of football at Kai Tak Stadium, organisers announced on Monday.

Premier League trio Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, plus Italian giants AC Milan, will play pre-season friendlies in July, with the two North London clubs contesting a rare derby outside the English capital and the first outside the UK.

The matches promise a tourism boost for Hong Kong, according to Rachael Carroll, managing director of TEG Sport, the event’s organiser.

“We are expecting 100,000 people, more than half from outside Hong Kong, generating great value to the local economy,” she said.

The news came less than 24 hours after the end of the first Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens at the city’s stunning new venue, and highlighted the attraction of the HK$30 billion Kai Tak Sports Park.

So long to the era when Sunday was a day of rest, in the sporting world at least. The knock-on effect of Thursday night European football is a busy Premier League programme three days later.

All of which means Monday’s newsletter is a busy one, as we detail all the action that unfolded while you were sleeping.

Shrewd van Nistelrooy

For the second time in Ruud van Nistelrooy’s ephemeral reign, Manchester United gave Leicester City a hiding at Old Trafford. Bruno Fernandes marked his 250th United appearance with the opener, before an own goal from Victor Kristiansen and Alejandro Garnacho’s late strike wrapped up a 3-0 win for the hosts.

United remain 13th but only four points behind the coveted Champions League qualifying spots, after the teams in third and fourth, respectively Chelsea and out-of-form Arsenal, drew 1-1 at Stamford Bridge.

Handed a favourable run of fixtures, all at home, following Erik ten Hag’s dismissal, Van Nistelrooy oversaw a 5-2 walloping of Leicester in the Carabao Cup and a 2-0 Europa League victory over PAOK of Greece, either side of drawing 1-1 with Chelsea.

Van Nistelrooy will step aside with his reputation enhanced, then, as incoming boss Ruben Amorim braces himself for a start to Premier League life that quickly brings games against Arsenal, Nottingham Forest and Manchester City.

The father of Spurs star Son Heung-min has been ordered by a South Korean court to pay a fine of three million won (US$2,220) for violating child welfare law at his football school, reports said.

Son Woong-jung is a former footballer who wrote a bestselling memoir detailing how he helped his son become one of the best strikers in the English Premier League.

But earlier this year the parents of a young player at his football academy said their son was hit by coach Son Heung-yun – the brother of the Spurs player – leaving a large bruise on his left thigh.

The student and his teammates were also subjected to verbal abuse by Son senior, according to his family.

Son Woong-jung, Son Heung-yun and another individual were each ordered to pay three million won for violating child welfare laws, Yonhap news agency and other South Korean media reported.

The three, who can appeal, have also been required to complete 40 hours of educational sessions on child abuse.