Newcastle 2-1 Spurs: Massive win as battling Mags find a way…again!

Eddie Howe’s Magpies delivered three crucial points to end a turbulent week on a high and into the top four, ensuring we go into the international break still undefeated.

It wasn’t the prettiest win we’re likely to see but the team showed great defensive discipline and resilience to hold off a very strong Spurs side. For all of our mistakes on the ball, we saw heroic defensive displays Dan Burn and Emil Krafth, who stepped up just when they needed to after weeks of trying and failing to sign Marc Guehi. 

On another day we could’ve easily shipped three or four goals. Spurs controlled the game with 66% possession and caused all sorts of problems with their inverted wing backs making life difficult for our midfield, but winning isn’t always about good football and possession. It’s also about surviving tough periods, defending for your life and being clinical when chances come. 

Newcastle started the game brightest and an audacious chip from Isak after four minutes almost caught Vicario out as it bounced off the bar. The crowd was up and our high intensity was too much for Spurs in opening exchanges. 

The lively start continued as Gordon fed Barnes on the left whose curling effort just went wide of the far post. It was so close to a trademark Barnes finish. 

Spurs did have the ball in the net but was rightly ruled out for offside, as Romero strayed beyond Newcastle’s last man before heading past Pope. 

An untimely injury to the assistant referee allowed Ange Postecoglou a chance to get a message across to his players and from that moment Spurs were in the ascendancy. A quick fire double save from Nick Pope kept out two stinging shots from distance by Sarr which was then followed by a yellow card to Lloyd Kelly for dragging down Son.

The tactical battle was fascinating as Joelinton would slot in at left back to allow Kelly to come inside to watch the runs of Pedro Porro from right back as we reverted to a back 5. Spurs had plenty of the ball but were restricted to shots from outside the box.

Then against the run of play, Newcastle took the lead. A quick throw caught the Spurs defence napping as Kelly played a great cutback into the back to Harvey Barnes who finished with aplomb! 1-0. 

A much needed confidence boost for a player who’s Newcastle career has yet to really get going and a great moment for Kelly who looks very comfortable at left back, despite an early booking. 

1-0 is how it stayed until half time as the players were given a warm reception by the home crowd. A first half that started and ended well but a performance that could be improved upon. We look like an accident waiting to happen playing out from the back at times and often when Pope goes long, it’s nowhere near a player in black and white!

The second half followed a similar pattern to most of the first half with Spurs dictating play and Newcastle looking to hit on the counter attack.

It was from a counter attack that should’ve given Newcastle a 2-0 lead as Isak was clean through on goal until a desperate last ditch tackle from Dragusin stopped a certain goal.

Spurs got a deserved equaliser as Maddison cut in off the left and his shot was parried by Pope into the path of the impressive Brennan Johnson, who’s effort was turned into his own goal by Dan Burn; an unfortunate moment for him given how good he was all afternoon. 

A series of sloppy giveaways in dangerous areas by Burn, Murphy, Guimaraes and Gordon invited pressure and a second Spurs goal seemed a foregone conclusion. We were defending superbly in many ways, but our inability to keep the ball was a regular source of frustration as we kept gifting it back to Spurs. 

Enter Joelinton, who used his strength to turn away in midfield and played a sumptuous through ball to Murphy who squared it to Isak for a tap in to send the crowd wild.

That would prove to be the difference as the magpies held on for a huge three points and go into the international break on a high.

Howay the lads!