Notebook - Newcastle vs Spurs

With just seven games remaining this term, we are now firmly at the business end of the season as we make the trip to Newcastle United on Sunday (2pm kick-off).

Take a look at the key points of note ahead of the game…

1 - The race for Europe

After our 3-2 loss to AFC Bournemouth and Newcastle's 3-0 defeat against Aston Villa last time out, both sides are looking to return to winning ways with us and the Magpies battling it out for a place in the top four. With just three points separating us and Newcastle in fourth, we could make a significant statement with a win at St James' Park on Sunday as victory would see us go level on points as we bid to return to the Champions League for a second successive season.

2 - Good Tyne at St James’ Park

To take maximum points on Sunday, we can take confidence from our excellent record away at Newcastle in recent seasons. Although the Magpies have only lost one game at home this season, we have won four of our last five Premier League trips to St James’ Park, last losing there almost seven years ago - the final day of the 2015/16 campaign. In our previous trip to Newcastle in October, 2021, we came from behind to win 3-2 with first-half goals from Tanguy Ndombele, Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son before the home side grabbed a late consolation in the 89th minute.

3 – Our last meeting

We suffered our first defeat in 11 home matches as the Magpies edged a close encounter at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium back in October. We started brightly with Sonny and Harry forcing saves from Nick Pope before two goals in nine first-half minutes from Callum Wilson and Miguel Almiron saw us two behind at the break. Our number 10 halved the deficit with his 10th goal of the season on 54 minutes but we couldn’t find the equaliser and ended our run of 10 straight wins in N17.

4 – Unlikely goalless draw

Given the history of this fixture, astonishingly, it has been 52 years and 86 matches since the last goalless draw between us and Newcastle (August, 1971). In our matches played away in Newcastle, we have scored a minimum of two goals in each of our previous five games and scored at least once in our previous 16 league games - a run that started in August, 2004.

5 - Harry’s happy hunting ground

With 23 goals already this term, Harry Kane is enjoying a fine season in front of goal – and he loves this fixture. Our all-time record goal scorer has eight Premier League goals against Newcastle and has been directly involved in nine across his last six league games against them (six goals, three assists). Six of Harry’s goals against the Magpies have come at St James’ Park -  only Wayne Rooney (nine) has more at the most northerly Premier League ground.

6 - Son in succession

The latest inductee into the Premier League ‘100 club’, Heung-Min Son has hit goalscoring form at the perfect time of the season and, after consecutive goals against Brighton & Hove Albion and Bournemouth, he is looking to score in three consecutive league games for the first time since May last season.

7 – Eddie Howe’s impact

Eddie Howe has rejuvenated the mood on Tyneside since he arrived in November, 2021, and, under his guidance, Newcastle have only lost three times in 28 home league matches, winning 16 and drawing nine games with 13 clean sheets. However, in his Premier League managerial career, Howe has found it difficult to get the better of us with only two wins in 12 meetings, although both wins have come in his last five matches against us (D1 L2).

8 - Newcastle’s double threat

Although they fired a blank against Villa, Newcastle have two dangerous forwards in the shape of Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson. Swedish striker Isak has five goals in his last six league games and is averaging a goal every 113 minutes this term, second only to the league’s top scorer Erling Haaland (one every 70) among players to score at least five times. As for Wilson, in his last nine league starts, the English marksman has been involved in eight goals (six goals, two assists) and has scored in all three league matches against us for his side.