The Daily Star Ireland
Tottenham, traditionally a fixture among the Premier League’s top 4, has been underperforming this season, currently sitting in 11th place. They are 6 points behind the top 6, which would secure European qualification. Recently, their form has been disappointing, with four losses in their last five matches: 1-0 to Bournemouth, 4-3 to Chelsea, 6-3 to Liverpool, and 1-0 to Nottingham Forest on Boxing Day, despite a large 5-0 win against Southampton. After two consecutive defeats, they could only manage a 2-2 draw against relegation-threatened Wolves last weekend.
Newcastle, while inconsistent in the Premier League, appears to be finding their rhythm again. After a tough run of four games without a win, with two draws and two losses, they bounced back with dominant victories over Leicester (4-0), Brentford (3-1), Ipswich (4-0), and most recently Aston Villa (3-0). Their upcoming match against Manchester United is critical for their pursuit of a top 6 finish, as they currently sit in 7th place, just one point behind Bournemouth.
Tottenham will be missing several key players, including their first-choice goalkeeper Vicario, and defenders Romero and Van de Ven. Davies, Odobert, and Richarlison will also be absent, while Spence is suspended. On a positive note, central defender Dragusin is back in the squad.
However, Spurs still have a strong offensive lineup available, with players like Son (5 goals, 6 assists in the Premier League), Maddison (8 goals, 4 assists), Kulusevski (5 goals, 4 assists), Johnson (7 goals), and Solanke (6 goals, 3 assists), all of whom have been performing well this season. Tottenham’s ability to score is clear, although their defensive issues continue to hold them back.
Prediction
In terms of style, Newcastle’s defensive strength under their current coach is well-known, yet interestingly, 11 of their last 15 Premier League matches have seen at least two goals. Similarly, seven out of eight of Tottenham’s matches this season have also featured over two goals.
Prediction: Tottenham 2 – 3 Newcastle.
