Key events
An email: “You asked who could replace Big Ange at Spurs,” writes Owen Rodgers. “This fella up at Forest seems to be doing an outstanding job—why couldn’t Spurs give him a go?” Honk!
An email: “Not sure I see how Ange is the problem here,” writes Ron Stack. “He has to play the hand he’s dealt. Yes, his inflexibility is maddening but that’s hardly a sackable offense. The team played hard today despite the mismatched pieces Ange had to put out there. And I think he used subs very well, with a strong if unlucky second half.”
An email: “Ange changes tactics more than people recognise,” writes Brendan Murray, a Spurs fan. “The full backs aren’t inverted anything like as much this year amongst other tweaks. He’s talking about philosophy not changing.
“I’m not there today but when I do go the general sense to me is of him being backed. Before these catastrophic injuries the underlying numbers were very good and we were in the middle of a huge turnover of players and playing style. I’m starting to doubt he’ll be given the time to finish though.”
Tottenham Hotspur: While their more entitled fans may disagree, I thought Spurs played fairly well in that game, all things including injuries and illness considered.
Their goalkeeper was making his debut and had not played a game of senior football for four years and in Archie Gray they had an 18-year-old right-footed midfielder playing on the left side of the central defence.
Rarely first choice at the best of times, Radu Dragusin was playing through illness and replaced at half-time by Sergio Reguilon, a full-back who is not wanted by the club and was making only his fourth appearance of the season. At left-back, Djed Spence has only just been given his opportunity to force his way into the first team reckoning after over two years at the club.
Full time: Tottenham Hotspur 1-2 Newcastle
An entertaining game ends with Newcastle taking all three points against a make-do-and-mend Tottenham Hotspur side who didn’t have quite enough cutting edge to rescue anything from this game despite dominating proceedings throughout the second half.
Anthony Gordon and Alexander Isak got the goals that won it for a Newcastle side that was forced to come from behind after Dominic Solanke had opened the scoring for Spurs after just four minutes.
90+13 min: Newcastle win another free-kick, halfway inside their own half with their players wondering why referee Andy Madley hasn’t yet blown the final whistle. He does so now and Newcastle celebrate victory in their sixth consecutive match in all competitions.
90+12 min: Newcastle win another throw-in, just inside the Spurs half. It finds its way to Archie Gray, who launches it forward.
90+11 min: Newcastle assistant coach Jason Tindall badgers the fourth official on the touchline, pointing to his watch as Newcastle go on the attack again.
90+10 min: Newcastle have a throw-in deep in Spurs territory and are in no great rush to take it, for obvious reasons.
90+9 min: Reguilon is booked for a foul on Tonali.
90+8 min: Solanke connects with another splendid Porro cross into the Newcastle penalty area but his header from 10 yards is steered straight at Dubravka.
96+5 min: Newcastle corner. Bruno Guimaraers and Joelinton take the shortest corner you’ll ever see in a bid to keep the ball by the corner flag for the next – minute-by-minute reporter checks clock – four minutes. It’s an ambitious plan that doesn’t quite come off, due in no small part to James Maddison’s intervention.
90+5 min: Brandon Austin saves a shot from the outside of the left boot of Harvey Barnes from close range at his near post.
90+4 min: Tottenham continue to turn the screw and a teasing ball from Solanke into the penalty area is headed on to the roof of the net by Dominic Solanke.
90+3 min: Kelly rises to clear a Djed Spence delivery into the Newcastle penalty area.
90+1 min: playing his first game for Newcastle since last March, Botman goes down in the centre-circle and will have to be replaced. He’s feeling his calf and hopefully it’s nothing more serious than cramp. Lloyd Kelly comes on in his place.
89 min: At the end of his first week in the job, England manager Thomas Tuchel has left White Hart Lane and is apparently now on his way to watch Brighton v Arsenal. He’ll miss 10 minutes of added time.
88 min: Livaramento gets his head to a long diagonal pass played from deep towards Son. Good defending.
85 min: Newcastle double-substitution: Sean Longstaff and Joe Willock are on for Alexander Isak and Jacob Murphy. Looking shocked to be taken off, Isak dawdles and is booked for timewasting. Or was it for a little shove on Archie Gray? The former, I think.
84 min: Play is paused as Dan Burn goes to ground in the Spurs penalty area after a collision with Brandon Austin, who clattered him as he came to punch a cross into the Spurs box clear.
82 min: Through Johnson and then Reguilon, Spurs whip two balls in a matter of seconds across the face of the Newcastle goal after good work by Son, but there’s nobody in a white shirt on hand to steer either cross into the back of the net!
81 min: Spurs play the corner short to the unmarked Maddison, who creates an angle and tries to whip the ball inside the far post. It whistles wide but not by much.
80 min: Maddison’s whipped free-kick is headed out for a corner by Livramento.
79 min: Spurs win a free-kick on the edge of the Newcastle box, well left of centre. Maddison was obstructed by Botman after releasing the ball and the Newcastle defender gets booked for his troubles, despite his fairly reasonable protests that he couldn’t get out of the way.
78 min: Newcastle substitution: Harvey Barnes comes on for Anthony Gordon, who still has blood trickling from a cut on the bridge of his nose following that shoulder in the face he took from Kulusevski.
77 min: Joelinton goes down injured, possibly suffering from the after effects of that robust challenge by Bissouma a few minutes ago.
76 min: It’s all Spurs as a Maddison cross towards Solanke at the far post is crucially cut out by the head of Dan Burn.
75 min: Joelinton tries to charge forward with the ball at his feet after receiving a pass in midfield from deep with an exquisite touch but is dispossessed by an excellent challenge from Bissouma.
73 min: Isak is fouled by Djed Spence right on the halfway line and Newcastle have a free-kick. Moments later, Joelinton is booked for a foul on Son, the latest in a long series of minor transgressions by the Newcastle midfielder and the straw that breaks the disciplinary camel’s back.
72 min: Joelinton robs Kulsevski of possession near the halfway line with a meaty tackle, taking the sting out of a Spurs attack.
71 min: Bissouma charges forward and plays the ball wide to Kulsevski. His cross into the Newcastle penalty area is too close to Dubravka.
