Tottenham made a dream start to the match, taking the lead in the fourth minute through Dominic Solanke. The forward showcased his aerial prowess, perfectly timing his jump to meet Pedro Porro’s pinpoint cross, steering a header past Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope. However, Newcastle responded almost immediately, equalizing just two minutes later. Lucas Bergvall’s pass took a deflection off Joelinton’s hand, creating an unintended assist for Bruno Guimaraes.
The Brazilian midfielder played a quick pass to Anthony Gordon, who unleashed a precise strike across debutant goalkeeper Brandon Austin and into the far corner. Gordon continued his good recent form with a goal against Spurs, indicating how vital he is to Eddie Howe’s team. Newcastle’s decisive moment came in the 38th minute. Jacob Murphy whipped in a dangerous cross from the right, and Alexander Isak made no mistake from close range, tapping the ball past Austin to give the visitors a 2-1 lead.
ANOTHER HUGE WIN ON THE ROAD! 😍😍 pic.twitter.com/8t8gNQqRHt
— Newcastle United (@NUFC) January 4, 2025
Spurs dominated much of the second half, relentlessly pressing for an equalizer. Brennan Johnson came agonizingly close when his powerful effort struck the post. James Maddison, who orchestrated much of Spurs’ attacking play, curled a shot just inches wide of the upright. Solanke continued to trouble Newcastle’s defense, with two headed efforts in stoppage time narrowly missing the target.
For the hosts, this result marked a frustrating end to a game in which they created plenty of chances but failed to capitalize. Their attacking intent was evident, yet defensive lapses in the first half proved costly. Newcastle, meanwhile, showcased their clinical edge, converting two of their limited opportunities to claim all three points. This win tightens Newcastle’s grip on the top five while another loss sees Spurs reeling in the bottom half of the table for another game week.
Ange Postecoglou’s side have already lost their 10th game of the season and are only two behind the total number of losses they had in the entirety of the previous campaign. Spurs’ inconsistency has come back to haunt them once again this season and they need to address these issues soon if they are to stand a chance at competing in any European competitions come the next season.
Player of the Match
Anthony Gordon’s game by numbers vs. Spurs:
100% tackles won
6 crosses
5 shots
2 shots on target
2 chances created
1 goal
Electric performance. ⚡️⚡️⚡️ pic.twitter.com/7nk95O9rzI
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) January 4, 2025
While Newcastle’s defense held extremely well in thwarting off Spurs’ attacks with Tino Livramento in particular looking very good against the London club, this victory wouldn’t have been possible without Anthony Gordon. The former Everton man was in top form against Spurs and got the vital equalizer that helped Newcastle back into the game. The Magpies fell behind to Dominic Solanke’s goal in the fourth minute which gave Spurs a platform to build.
However, Gordon scored almost immediately after his team went behind, not allowing his team to be effected mentally by the set back of this early goal. Apart from getting himself on the scoresheet, he also created two chances for his side, more than any other Newcastle player barring Bruno Guimaraes. He maintained an 83% pass accuracy, got 48 touches in the game and got six of those in the opposition box. He even made four recoveries in the game and helped his team out defensively as they held on till the final whistle for the three points.