PREMIER LEAGUE
SUNDAY 23RD OCTOBER, 2022
(4.30PM)
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 1(0) NEWCASTLE UNITED 2(2)

Spurs scorer:-
Kane, 54

Newcastle scorers:-
Wilson, 31
Almiron, 40

Attendance:- 61,726

Referee:- Jarred Gillett
Assistants:- Simon Long, Richard West
Fourth official:- David Coote
VAR:- Stuart Attwell
Assistant VAR:- Matthew Wilkes.

Teams:-
Spurs (3-5-2):- Lloris (Capt.); Sanchez (sub Doherty, 81), Dier, Lenglet (sub Davies, 81); Emerson Royal, Skipp (sub Lucas Moura, 66), Bissouma, Bentancur, Sessegnon (sub Perisic, 61); Son, Kane

Subs not used:- Forster; Tanganga, Spence; Gil, White

Booked:- Bentancur (Dissent), Sessegnon (foul on Almiron), Skipp (foul), Emerson (foul on Wood)

Newcastle (4-3-3):- Pope; Trippier (Capt.), Schar, Botman, Burn; S. Longstaff, Guimaraes (sub Shelvey, 89), Willock (sub Murphy, 75); Almiron, Wilson (sub Wood, 88), Joelinton

Subs not used:- Karius; Lascelles, Lewis, Targett, Manquillo; Fraser

Booked:- Wilson (foul on Lloris), Pope (time-wasting)

Newcastle in the ascendancy

A below par Spurs side lost their unbeaten home record to a Newcastle side which is now unbeaten in seven games and which, as a result, has climbed into fourth place behind Spurs. Newcastle were able to include Joelinton, who had been an injury doubt, and their influential midfielder Bruno Guimaraes, who has become a father this week.

Spurs counted Richarlison, Kulusevski, Lucas Moura, Romero, Davies and Hojbjerg among their missing starters. Hojbjerg had a slight knock apparently, and aside from injuries, I suppose Antonio Conte had one eye on Wednesday night’s vital Champions League home game against Sporting, which could ensure our progress to the Round of 16. Despite two consecutive defeats and the loss of home points for the first time since April, Spurs still hold third place, but Newcastle were the side in form and they are on the climb, hitting fourth place for the first time (after so many games) since April 2012.

Newcastle kicked off, playing towards the South Stand, but Spurs had a bright start with Son prominent in the early stages and not shy of having a pop at goal. Indeed, after only 42 seconds, he made a run along the left channel, before hitting a shot which Pope held. Oliver Skipp was making his first league start of the season and he led a break out after 2 minutes, passing to Kane who advanced and turned inside to Son, who hit another shot, this time just over the target.

Newcastle began to find their stride and won a couple of corners, but then Spurs forged another chance with Kane feeding the ball out to Emerson Royal, whose cross reached Son, who had another shot over the target. Yet another shot by Son after 10 minutes, hit with his right foot, was held by Pope. At this stage, you would have thought the home side was going to win, but Spurs would become the architects of their own demise.

Kane fed the ballot Sessegnon to his left, but Sessegnon was so disappointing, over-hitting his cross without any accuracy. The ball went out of play on the opposite side of the pitch. Kane had a header blocked after another Sessegnon cross and Bissouma’s attempt from the rebound was cleared.

Spurs conceded another corner after a shocking back pass by Dier which beat Lloris but passed outside his left post. Kane turned a ball to Skipp and the Spurs pass from the right reached Sessegnon who won a corner with a deflected shot. Kane led another Spurs break down the left channel before his shot was finally saved by Pope’s outstretched leg.

Newcastle were gifted an opening goal after Lloris rushed outside his area to meet a high ball forward. Instead of clearing, Hugo tried to play around Wilson’s advance, but failed and Wilson was able to chip a left-footed shot into the net. VAR took a long look at the question of a possible foul by Wilson, then a possible handball, but discounted both possibilities awarding the goal.

There was another poor cross by Sessegnon and a Newcastle attack after a poor midfield pass by Bentancur. Sessegnon lost out to Almiron who raced forward and got the better of Lenglet before beating Lloris with a low shot from the right of goal. It was Almiron’s sixth goal of the season, which is his best return to date for Newcastle.

Nick Pope would upset the Spurs crowd with his time-wasting antics (not that we don’t do this, especially away from home!), but it was a long time (10 minutes from the end) before Australian referee Jarred Gillett showed the former Burnley keeper a yellow card.

There was rain of biblical proportions falling at half-time and into the second half. Spurs came out early and kicked off, but Newcastle soon won a corner and Spurs were struggling to get out of their half. Pope held a shot by Sessegnon. At the other end, Newcastle appeals for a handball in the area were turned down and rejected by VAR. After a deep corner by Trippier, Schar had a shot from distance which was saved by Lloris.

Spurs were back in the game in the 54h minute. They won a corner on the left, taken by Son and flicked on to the back post by Lenglet. Kane stopped and put the ball in the net from very short range and Spurs could celebrate after another lengthy VAR examination of a possible offside.

Perisic replaced Sessegnon, and soon after Lucas Moura replaced Skipp. Lucas tended to play inside the right wing-back. After winning a challenge against Son, Schar advanced and hit another shot, which was saved by Lloris. Kane fed the ball to the advancing Perisic, but his shot was over the target.

Lucas Moura showed great determination and not a little skill to advance into the right side of the area and managed to turn the ball to Son, but his shot was blocked. Now Davies came on for Lenglet and Doherty replaced Sanchez. Emerson moved in to take over as the right-sided centre back, with Doherty at wing-back.

Spurs had a couple of corners out on the left and after the second, Perisic crossed, but Dier’s glanced header passed wide. Kane headed over from another Perisic cross. Newcastle ran down some time with two late substitutions and saw out the five minutes of added time before celebrating an important away win.

Spurs have to dust down and do their job against Sporting on Wednesday night.

· John Ellis comments

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