Spurs return to St James’ Park for the first time since their 6-1 thrashing last year in a much healthier place. For all of Ange Postecoglou’s insistence that he does not particularly care for constant analysis of the race for the Premier League’s top four, his team can take command of it later today.
They are level on points with Aston Villa but boast a game in hand on Unai Emery’s side, who face a difficult-looking trip to Arsenal on Sunday. Though fifth place may still be enough to guarantee Champions League football next season, Spurs will not be relying on a co-efficient they can do little about.
The hosts have lingering European hopes of their own, too. They sit a point behind West Ham in seventh with a game in hand and have been in good form since the international break, albeit they haven’t always convinced. Follow all the action LIVE with Standard Sport’s dedicated match blog! Dan Kilpatrick will be providing expert analysis from the ground!
Newcastle vs Tottenham latest news
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Kick-off time: 12.30pm BST, St James’ Park
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TV channel and live stream: TNT Sports
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Newcastle XI: Willock out as two changes made
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Tottenham XI: Bentancur comes in
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Prediction: Spurs to avenge last season’s humbling
12:15 , Alex Young
Final prep ahead of kick-off now. This should be a cracker.
Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou
12:08 , Alex Young
“Newcastle are very aggressive, particularly with their pressing, and when they play at home, irrespective of how they set up, the energy they get from the crowd means it’s usually a really up tempo game.
“We have to make sure we bring our energy to it. It’s an important game in the context of our season.”
Dom Smith checks in
11:57 , Alex Young
Our reporter at St James’ Park.
Team news
11:53 , Alex Young
It’s two changes for Newcastle from the 1-0 win at Fulham last time out.
Willock, as expected, it out and Hall is only fit enough for a place on the bench. Anderson and Barnes come in.
It’s one change for Tottenham as Bentancur replaces Sarr in midfield.
Team news in full
11:35 , Alex Young
Newcastle XI: Dubravka, Jacob Murphy, Krafth, Schar, Burn, Longstaff, Bruno Guimaraes, Anderson, Barnes, Isak, Gordon
Subs: Dummett, Ritchie, Karius, Hall, Livramento, Gillespie, White, Alex Murphy, Parkinson
Tottenham XI: Vicario, Porro, Romero, van de Ven, Udogie, Bissouma, Bentancur, Johnson, Maddison, Werner, Son
Subs: Hojbjerg, Dragusin, Gil Salvatierra, Emerson, Lo Celso, Kulusevski, Sarr, Davies, Austin
Newcastle XI
11:31 , Alex Young
…and the hosts!
Tottenham XI
11:30 , Alex Young
Here’s how Spurs look.
11:26 , Alex Young
It sounds like Livramento and Hall are not fit for today.
11:23 , Alex Young
A little over an hour until kick-off.
11:12 , Alex Young
Spurs lost this game 6-1 last season, but can move 16 points clear of today’s hosts by avenging that result.Team news to come shortly.
Postecoglou excited by Tottenham future
11:02 , Alex Young
Ange Postecoglou believes there is still “so much growth” to come from his young Tottenham players, and has spoken in glowing terms about Pedro Porro, Pape Sarr and Micky van de Ven in particular.
On Saturday, Spurs face Newcastle at St. James’ Park, where Porro and Sarr were two of the fall-guys from their humiliating 6-1 defeat last season, which brought down the curtain on interim coach Cristian Stellini’s strange interregnum.
Under pressure to deviate from Antonio Conte’s set-up, Stellini switched to a back four on Tyneside, featuring Porro at right-back, with disastrous consequences.
The game helped to foster a perception that the Spaniard was a specialist wing-back who could not be trusted in a back four.
But Postecoglou, who revealed he has not watched the game back, says he had no concerns about using Porro in his current role.
“No, I didn’t,” the Spurs manager said Friday. “I really enjoyed working with Pedro right from the start.”
Eddie Howe on Tottenham
10:52 , Alex Young
“I admire them tactically; I admire them physically. A lot of credit must go to Ange (Postecoglou) for the job he has done and the philosophy he has implemented.
“I think they have played very well this year.”
Newcastle slump a ‘cautionary tale’ for Tottenham
10:40 , Alex Young
Ange Postecoglou has described Newcastle’s drop-off this season as “a cautionary tale” for Champions League-chasing Tottenham.
Newcastle finished 11 points ahead of Spurs last term but have been unable to build on their place in the top four, and trail Postecoglou’s side by 13 points ahead of Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off at St James’ Park.
Eddie Howe’s side also finished bottom of their Champions League group and their squad has been ravaged by injuries throughout the campaign.
Postecoglou has previously said the declines of Newcastle and Manchester United this term are the perfect examples of why finishing in the top four is not a “Willy Wonka Golden Ticket” to go up a level.
Asked if those clubs’ positions in the table proved his point, Postecoglou said: “I guess I gave that as an example of one of the reasons why I don’t think it should be the end point or some avenue you think will get you to be successful for a sustained period just because you have achieved that.
“Certainly there is a cautionary tale there that getting into the Champions League also means greater demands. Demands on players, demands on the squad and you have to be geared up for it or else it can affect all parts of your season.
“It has been tough on Newcastle this year because the progress last year was fantastic. The reward for that was Champions League and this year for whatever reason it has made it a really challenging season on all fronts for them.”
Newcastle vs Tottenham prediction
10:31 , Alex Young
Newcastle are leaking goals left, right and centre and Spurs should have the tools to punish a makeshift backline.
Tottenham to win, 3-1.
Tottenham team news
10:22 , Alex Young
Tottenham midfielder Ange Postecoglou faces big decisions in midfield.
Yves Bissouma and Pape Sarr have tended to be Tottenham’s first-choice two this season but Spurs improved after they were replaced at half-time by Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Rodrigo Bentancur in last weekend’s 3-1 win over Nottingham Forest.
Sarr, who was substituted after 23 minutes with Spurs 5-0 down on their last visit to St. James’ Park, adds energy to the side and may pick up now he is no longer fasting for Ramadan, while Postecoglou has tended to stick with Bissouma.
The manager’s other decision is in the front three where Dejan Kulusevski and Brennan Johnson are jostling for one place on the right. Johnson, though, has been in good form of late and seems likely to keep his place alongside Heung-min Son and Timo Werner.
Richarlison remains sidelined with a knee injury, while long-term absentees Manor Solomon (knee), Fraser Forster (ankle) and Ryan Sessegnon (hamstring) are still out.
Newcastle team news
10:15 , Alex Young
Joe Willock is set to miss today’s due to an Achilles injury, manager Eddie Howe said on Friday.
Willock, who has already missed large parts of the season due to Achilles and hamstring injuries, limped off in the first half of Newcastle’s 1-0 victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage last week.
Newcastle will be hoping it is not a long-term injury for Willock, with Jamaal Lascelles, Nick Pope, Kieran Trippier and Callum Wilson among a lengthy list of players already sidelined.
Howe said the player closest to making a return from injury was defender Tino Livramento, adding: “He has not trained with the team but has been out on the grass.
“Lewis Hall has not trained at all this week, so he is a slight concern from last week.
“Other players are doing well in the background so I am hoping in the not-too-distant future we can get three or four back.”
Where to watch Newcastle vs Tottenham
10:06 , Alex Young
TV channel: The game will be broadcast on TNT Sports 1 and TNT Sports Ultimate. Coverage begins at 11am BST ahead of a 12.30pm kick-off at St James’ Parkfa.
Live stream: Subscribers will be able to watch on a live stream via the Discovery+ app.
Welcome
09:59 , Alex Young
Good morning and welcome to the Evening Standard’s LIVE coverage of the Premier League clash between Newcastle and Tottenham at St James’ Park.
Spurs can open up a three-point gap over Aston Villa with victory, firmly taking control of the race for fourth place in the process, and face a Newcastle side severely hampered by injuries.
Spurs will also have revenge on the mind having suffered a humiliating 6-1 loss at this ground 12 months ago, in which Newcastle were 5-0 up after 21 minutes.
The game kicks off at 12.30pm BST, stick with us.
Source Agencies
