Tottenham will be hot in their pursuit of Champions League football for another season as they will be looking for a win over Newcastle to keep Chelsea at bay.
Tottenham have a massive task at their hands when Newcastle visit them at Wembley in a crunch Premier League fixture. Spurs’ main aim would be to secure a win and move closer towards sealing a top-four place this season, as Chelsea remain hot on their trails.
After a shock 1-0 defeat to West Brom last weekend, and Chelsea securing a win over Liverpool with the same scoreline, the two sides are separated only by two points in the race for a top-four finish. Tottenham can, however, take comfort in the fact that their remaining two games are at home and first up will be Newcastle United.
Mauricio Pochettino is well aware of Chelsea’s threat behind them and knows four points from their remaining two games should be enough, but one slip-up and another Chelsea win could mean trouble. Leicester will be Spurs’ last opponent this season and consider that they precisely do not have an easy run, apart from home comforts.
Newcastle on the other hand, have not won a Premier League game since their narrow victory over Arsenal, losing three in a row. Their victory over Arsenal secured their safety this season, and they currently sit comfortably in 10th position, they seemingly have nothing to lose or be pressurised with.
Team News & Tactics
Tottenham
Mauricio Pochettino is well aware of the importance of the next two games but is sweating over the fitness of some players. Jan Vertonghen is the most important of the list of players, as he is still 50-50 to play after suffering an ankle injury last weekend.
Eric Dier will be a confirmed absentee as he suffers from an illness. Serge Aurier is also a certain absentee as he still hasn’t recovered from his hamstring problem. Spurs’ medical team are trying their best to get him ready for Sunday’s clash with Leicester City.
Mousa Dembele will also miss the game with an ankle problem, although he could return for Leicester. Harry Winks will miss the final two games with the same injury, although he hopes to recover soon enough.
Potential Starting-XI (4-2-3-1) – Lloris; Trippier, Sanchez, Alderweirald, Davies; Sissoko, Wanyama; Alli, Eriksen, Son; Kane
Newcastle United
Rafael Benitez, on the other hand, has a full-strength squad available for the Tottenham game. Only Islam Slimani would be missing after being suspended since lashing out at West Brom’s Craig Dawson earlier this month.
Otherwise, Benitez would be taking this game to help his team play under no pressure for the first time this season, after guiding them expertly to safety against all the odds this season.
Potential Starting-XI (4-4-2) – Dubravka; Yedlin, Lascelles, Lejeune, Dummett; Ritchie, Diame, Shelvey, Kenedy; Perez, Gayle
Key Stats
- Newcastle has astonishingly won their last three visits to Tottenham, with Ayoze Perez scoring the winner in two of those games.
- Tottenham, on the other hand, will be looking for their first ever league double over Newcastle.
- Tottenham also have a superb 17-game-winning run at home against promoted sides, last losing back in 2012.
- Tottenham have also won their last seven Premier League games when they play on a Wednesday.
- Newcastle will be visiting Wembley for the first time since 2000 when they lost their FA Cup semi-final to Chelsea.
Betting Odds
Favourable Bets
Tottenham vs Newcastle – Tottenham Asian Handicap – 2.0 @ 1.960
Player To Watch
Harry Kane
Harry Kane is yet to pick up his form since returning from injury. He has however not stopped scoring, but not at the rate he is so used to. He is considered by many as the man of the big occasion, and the Newcastle clash is no small fixture considering a top-four place is still up for grabs.
On the other hand, although he surely will go to Russia this summer, he would want to go on top of his game and not as a recovering player. England will certainly need him in top shape. Expect him to kickstart that form against Newcastle.
Prediction
Tottenham 2-1 Newcastle
There have been many a seasons when Tottenham have been in a promising position on the table with a few games to spare and lost the plot by the end of the season. But this Spurs team is different, or so it is hoped.
Mauricio Pochettino would be well aware of their history in the final games of the season and would certainly look to avoid repeating it. He will be looking to fire up his team and get a win over Newcastle to close in on a top-four place.