The Newcastle revival rolls on, gathering momentum with another victory and sharpening their Champions League credentials once again.
Into the new year with the same hot form as Alexander Isak extended his goal spree, claiming the winner. It was not his finest, scuffed into an open goal from a couple of yards but he has 14 for the season and has scored in each of his last seven Premier League games.
His goals have fuelled Newcastle’s rise up the table and Eddie Howe, overlooked for the England job, can take satisfaction from this, his sixth win in a row, achieved in front of Thomas Tuchel, who was starting his new job with a ticket in the VIP seats.
Tuchel once said Tottenham were his favourite English team. He liked the name, apparently, but all Spurs fans continue to suffer.
For them, a new year has brought more of the same old problems. Only worse. On top of a crisis of injuries which shows no sign of yielding there, Ange Postecoglou was missing players who had fallen to a sickness bug in the camp.
They are dropping like flies. Fraser Forster was bedridden leaving Brandon Austin to make his debut in goal. Radu Dragusin did not make it out for the second half leaving Spurs without a recognised centre half on the pitch.
Alexander Isak scored the winner as Newcastle came from behind to beat Tottenham 2-1
Isak netted what proved to be the decisive goal of the game in the 38th minute
There was further frustration for Ange Postecoglou as his Tottenham side were beaten
On top of which, Postecoglou chose to start with captain Heung-min Son and vice-captain James Maddison on the bench.
Somehow, his depleted team produced a spirited second half performance. In fact, one of their most encouraging halves in recent weeks and the manager deserves credit for his courage. And almost got a point.
Maddison went close with a curler and Dominic Solanke, scorer of the game’s first goal in the fourth minute should have headed in an equaliser in stoppage time. His effort was too close to goalkeeper Martin Dubravka.
Austin was making his first ever Tottenham start and his first appearance for anyone since a loan spell at Orlando City in the summer of 2021.
He impressed with his aerial presence, pulling crosses cleanly out of the air and weathering the physical attention at set pieces, but he was picking the ball out of his net within six minutes, a controversial goal finished by Anthony Gordon.
Lucas Bergvall, the Swedish teenager selected ahead of Yves Bissouma in Tottenham’s midfield, had a pass out of defence intercepted by Joelinton. Bruno Guimaraes picked up the loose ball and released Gordon who applied a confident finish.
There was a long VAR check when it became clear Joelinton’s interception had been made with his left hand but the goal was allowed to stand. The VAR Chris Kavanagh decided his hand had been by his side in a natural position and that contact was accidental.
Postecoglou fumed on the touchline and his assistant Matt Wells took the complaints to the fourth official Lewis Smith. They were aggrieved because Bergvall’s pass had been intended for Pedro Porro, breaking out from right back.
Dominic Solanke celebrates after he gave Tottenham the lead with just four minutes gone
Tottenham’s lead only lasted two minutes before Anthony Gordon equalised for Newcastle
Brandon Austin made his Tottenham debut with Fraser Forster missing out due to illness
New England boss Thomas Tuchel and assistant Anthony Barry were in attendance
When Joelinton made the block, Porro was a long way out of position and Gordon in yards of space.
The home crowd turned on the officials and Spurs lost their composure despite making a positive start and taking an early lead through Dominic Solanke, who escaped Sven Botman to head in a Porro cross in the fourth minute.
Botman was back in the Newcastle defence after nine months out with a knee injury and perhaps a little rusty, but the threat from Spurs receded once the visitors equalised.
They dominated until the interval. Austin saved from Gordon and Isak missed a glorious chance from six yards before claiming his 14th goal of the season.
Jacob Murphy crossed low from the right, Dragusin lunged to cut it out but turned it towards his own goal and Isak pounced to sweep it into an empty net.
Gordon and Joelinton had chances to extend the lead and it seemed briefly as if Newcastle might run away with it before half time.
As it turned out, Spurs hung on but Postecoglou’s manpower problems only deepened. Dragusin, among those fighting illness ahead of the game, was unable to return so on came Sergio Reguilon with Djed Spence moving into the centre of defence alongside Archie Gray.
Strangely, Spurs improved as an attacking force and almost levelled. Pape Matar Sarr forced a good low save from Dubravka and Brennan Johnson fired the rebound against a post from an acute angle.
Newcastle threatened on the break. Gordon fired over after Gray blocked from Sandro Tonali. Then Gordon suffered a bloodied nose in a collision with Dejan Kulusevski. Bloodied but unbowed and on the climb.
For Tottenham, another defeat to extend a miserable run of one win in eight Premier League games.
