PREMIER LEAGUE
WEDNESDAY 15TH JULY, 2020
(6pm)
NEWCASTLE UNITED 1(0) TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 3(1)

Newcastle scorer:-
Ritchie, 56

Spurs scorers:-
Son, 27
Kane, 60,90

Attendance:- 0

Referee:- David Coote
Assistants:- Ian Hussin, Nick Hopton
Fourth official:- Martin Atkinson
Replacement official:- Paul Hodskinson
VAR:- Peter Bankes
Assistant VAR:- Lee Betts.

Teams:-
Newcastle (3-4-3):- Dubravka; Krafth, Schar, Fernandez; Yedlin (sub Lazaro, 55), Shelvey (Capt.), Bentaleb (sub M. Longstaff, 86), Ritchie; Saint-Maximin, Gayle (sub Joelinton, 69), Almiron

Subs not used:- Darlow; Manquillo; Atsu, Muto, Allan, Young

Booked:- Fernandez (foul on Lo Celso), Shelvey (foul on Bergwijn)

Spurs (4-3-2-1):- Lloris (Capt.); Aurier, Sanchez, Alderweireld, Davies; Sissoko, Winks, Lo Celso (sub Lamela, 62); Lucas Moura (sub Bergwijn, 57), Son; Kane (sub Vertonghen, 90+1)

Subs not used:- Gazzaniga; Tanganga, White, Sessegnon; Skipp, Gedson

Booked:- Alderweireld (foul on Ritchie), Kane (foul on Schar), Davies (foul on Saint-Maximin)

201 up for Kane, and a big step towards Europe for Spurs

Harry Kane scored his 200th and 201st club goals (his 184th and 185th for Spurs) and with this third consecutive away win against Newcastle Spurs took a big step towards qualification for Europe, albeit Europa and not Champions League football. Spurs moved into seventh place overnight one point behind Wolves and one point ahead of Sheffield United. The “Blades” play at Leicester tomorrow night. Despite Liverpool’s charitable performance against Arsenal, our close rivals cannot overtake us this week.

Jose Mourinho fielded an unchanged side which included the courageous Serge Aurier, whose brother Christopher was murdered in Toulouse in the early hours of Monday morning. Serge was apparently flying to France after the game. The formation was different though with Sissoko and Lo Celso right and left of Winks, and often slightly forward. Lucas Moura and Son played right and left respectively behind Harry Kane. Steve Bruce was without several players including captain Jamaal Lascelles, but with nothing to lose he fielded a side in an adventurous 3-4-3 formation which gave the Spurs defence plenty to think about. De Andre Yedlin was the right wing-back, and Nabil Bentaleb was in midfield. Newcastle’s danger man was, as expected, Allan Saint-Maximin.

Spurs players wore a black armband, perhaps sharing Aurier’s grief. Players and officials are continuing to “take the knee” at kick-off and Spurs started the game playing towards the empty Gallowgate End. Spurs seemed happy to sit back initially, no doubt seeking to take the measure of the home side, who had a good chance after 5 minutes when Krafth crossed and Almiron had a shot well blocked. Newcastle had a corner taken by Ritchie from the left and this was met by Almiron but hit almost as high as the highest stand behind the goal. After a foul by Lucas Moura on saint-Maximin Shelvey took a free kick from some 30 yards which went straight to the hands of Hugo Lloris. Newcastle were enjoying too much possession at this stage.

Spurs finally had a chance after a long ball was hit to Lucas Moura who did well to control under pressure before Harry Kane took it on, feeding Lo Celso to his left. Lo Celso’s shot took a deflection and won a corner, but Gio then committed a foul on the edge of the box after Sissoko and Kane had combined to get the ball to him with Newcastle players at close quarters. Saint-Maximin hit a 25 yard shot at the other end which also won a corner. After 16 minutes Matt Ritchie crossed from the left and Shelvey met the cross, but headed over.

At last Spurs started to press forward and often reached the edge of the Newcastle area with no end product. Saint-Maximin had a shot held by Lloris after Yedlin’s cross. Son tried to push a ball to Lucas Moura inside the Newcastle area but Ritchie read the situation well at the expense of a corner.

You could say the first half was a game of two quarters as Spurs spent time in the opposition half after the drinks break. After a good move from right to left across the edge of the area with Lucas Moura, Kane and Lo Celso helping the ball on in tight situations, Son had the ball on the left, cut to his right an hit a well-placed low shot just inside Dubravka’s right-hand post. Krafth’s error had gifted the ball to Lucas Moura in the first place. A minute after the goal Lucas fed the ball to Son whose right footed shot took a slight deflection which made Dubravka’s flying save even better. Alderweireld was booked in the aftermath of the corner when he challenged Ritchie deep in the Newcastle half. Fernandez also saw yellow for his foul on our number 18, Giovani Lo Celso.

Ritchie hit a shot which took a nasty deflection leaving Lloris stranded but the ball passed wide for a corner. Spurs had some shocking sliced attempted clearances and eventually the ball fell to Saint-Maximin whose shot was off target. Newcastle were unlucky not to equalise when Shelvey crossed deep from the right and Gayle hit a glancing header across the goal, beating Lloris but not the far post. In added time a Spurs free kick was followed by a speculative Lucas Moura shot which did not worry the keeper.

Spurs made a bright start to the second half, but again could not manage a shot on goal. Lloris plucked a dangerous cross by Ritchie from the sky.

Yedlin was replaced by Valentino Lazaro who is on loan from Inter. Lazaro recently scored his first Premier League goal at Bournemouth and was very quickly involved in the move from right to left across the Spurs area which led to the equaliser. It was Aurier who it a poor attempted clearance to the feet of Ritchie who lashed a left-footed shot cross Lloris into the net.

Lucas Moura had taken a knock and he was replaced by Steven Bergwijn who very quickly had an assist to his name as he crossed deep from the right and Harry Kane rose to head home goal number 200 on his personal record. 184 of those had been for Spurs, 9 for Millwall, 5 for Leyton Orient and 2 for Leicester.

Spurs had regained the lead, but they never looked secure until they had that third goal. Saint-Maximin powered a shot wide, and Davinson Sanchez did well to block a good shot by Almiron. After r3eceiving good ball from the left by saint-Maximin, Lazaro hit the side netting with his shot. Substitute Joelinton (who had scored one of his only two Premier League goals in the win at Tottenham)passed to his captain who hit a shot straight to the hands of Lloris. Lloris also held a long cross/shot by Saint-Maximin. The same player hit another shot over the target from 25 yards after 83 minutes.

The precious third goal and a two-goal led came in the 90th minute and it was another header (this one quite a brave dive) by Kan that hit the net. Kane had started a break forward at the half-way line with a ball to Lamela who ran all the way into the left side of the box hitting a shot which Dubravka saved, but could not hold. Kane threw himself forward to head home the rebound off the keeper.

Newcastle had used their three substitution occasions and actually finished the game with 9 men in play as Schar had to be helped off with a shoulder/arm injury and Saint-Maximin was down just before the final whistle.

Spurs have lost just once in seven games since the restart, and this was the first time we have won three consecutive away wins against Newcastle in all competitions for the first time since January 1975. We have also won five of the past six Premier League meetings at St James' Park, having only managed three victories in the first 19. Finally, this was Jose Mourinho’s first away win at this ground in 8 attempts.

· See the exclusive "Spursometer" and have your say regarding the performances of the team, individual players, manager and officials.

Follow @spursodyssey

· Squad numbers,appearances,bookings & goalscorers
· Read the preview for this game.
· All the Spurs Stats you could hope for here! THFC6061 Sports Stats