Tottenham Hotspur host Newcastle United at their new stadium as Mauricio Pochettino hopes for his side to continue their decent form so far with a win.
The Premier League season has seen an indifferent start with many of the top six sides struggling early on. Spurs, in particular, left it late to win their opening matchday against Aston Villa. They will certainly take confidence from their result away to Manchester City last weekend. Spurs twice came from behind to draw against City, but a big chunk of that credit goes to VAR which ruled out a late City goal.
Mauricio Pochettino will be hoping his team show plenty of resilience and confidence when they face Newcastle. The manager will be demanding a win to keep pace Liverpool at the top. Additionally, Tottenham travel to the Emirates next and Pochettino will want all three points on board against Newcastle before the North London Derby.
Their opponents Newcastle will be looking to bounce back from a series of disappointing results which has seen them lose both of their games so far, first at home to Arsenal and then to newly promoted Norwich City last weekend. Steve Bruce certainly does not want to make it three in a row and will hope his team shows their strength in the battle with Tottenham.
Despite their massive loss to Norwich, Bruce will be looking to motivate his players to rectify their errors that cost the match. That said, Newcastle are no strangers to slow starts to their season, and like before Bruce will be hoping, things turn out well in the end. Against Tottenham, if they are to get a result, their season will surely begin tomorrow.
Team News & Tactics
Tottenham Hotspur
Pochettino will be boosted by the news that Son Heung-Min is available again for selection after missing the first two games of the season through suspension. On the other hand, new signing, Tanguy Ndombele, who has had a significant impact in the first two games, will not feature against the Toons, after suffering a minor thigh injury in training.
Others who will be missing this tie include Dele Alli who is out with a hamstring injury, while Juan Foyth remains out recovering from an ankle injury. Victor Wanyama remains out of favour. Additionally, it remains to be seen if Pochettino selects Jan Vertonghen to man the central defensive areas or if he sticks with Davinson Sanchez and Toby Alderweireld.
Harry Kane is expected to lead the Spurs line with Son in the attack. Wantaway midfielder Christian Eriksen is also likely to start alongside last weekend’s goalscorer Erik Lamela. Harry Winks and Moussa Sissoko should take up the central midfield berths.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Lloris; Walker-Peters, Sanchez, Alderweireld, Rose; Sissoko, Winks; Son, Eriksen, Lamela; Kane
Newcastle United
Newcastle boss Bruce has a few concerns in his side as injuries continue to hamper team selection. DeAndre Yedlin, Florian Lejeune and Christian Atsu are all out of the game. New signing Allan Saint-Maximin also gave an injury scare recently. However, Bruce is hopeful the new signing will be ready to play against Spurs.
Newcastle will also miss forwards Dwight Gayle and Andy Carroll, who are yet to be fully fit for matchday duties. This will enable Bruce to continue with record signing Joelinton upfront.
Bruce is unlikely to change his formation consisting of three central defenders with Jamaal Lascelles, Fabian Schar and Paul Dummett taking up the defensive positions. Emil Krafth, Issac Hayden, Jonjo Shelvey, Sean Longstaff and Matt Ritchie will form the five-man midfield in support of Joelinton and Miguel Almiron upfront.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Dubravka; Schar, Lascelles, Dummett; Krafth, Hayden, Shelvey, Longstaff, Ritchie; Joelinton, Almiron
Key Stats
- Tottenham have won their last four Premier League matches against Newcastle.
- The Lilywhites have never won five consecutive league games against the Magpies.
- None of Spurs’ last 21 Premier League home games against Newcastle have ended as a draw (13 wins for Spurs, 8 wins for Newcastle).
- Newcastle won 4-0 versus Fulham on their last Premier League visit to London in May – their biggest margin of victory in a Premier League game in the capital.
- Newcastle haven’t won consecutively in London in the competition since a run of four victories between May 2013 and January 2014.
Betting Odds
Probables:
1. Tottenham Asian Handicap – 1.5 @ 1.775
2. Tottenham Clean Sheet – YES @ 1.80
Outside Chance:
1. Tottenham First Half Asian Handicap – 1.5 @ 3.450
Player to Watch
Son Heung-Min
Its not to say Tottenham have missed Son in their opening two games of the season as the team has scored decent amounts of goals. Additionally, four points from those two games have vindicated Pochettino, but Son’s return will undoubtedly boost the Argentine’s attacking options.
Son had been prolific last season and is expected to hit top form this term, but minutes are necessary to get there. Pochettino will waste no time in bringing the South Korean into his starting lineup and the fixture against a struggling Newcastle side could be a perfect platform for Son.
Prediction
Tottenham 3-1 Newcastle
Taking everything into consideration including form, quality, and performances, Tottenham have the edge over Newcastle in this fixture. The likes of Kane, Son, and Eriksen will look to get their attacking juices flowing and in the process inflict a third successive defeat for Bruce and his Newcastle side.
Newcastle are still reeling from the lack of tactics after Rafael Benitez’s departure, and Bruce is clearly in need of time to get this squad together. Spurs are in an excellent place to take advantage of this situation as they are set to make their way to near the top of the Premier League.
