- Newcastle has won 3 of the last 4 at Spurs
- Spurs has won all 12 PL games this season vs current bottom half
- Newcastle has lost 7 straight trips to Wembley (last win: 1955 FA Cup final)
Two teams breathing sighs of relief at opposite ends of the table meet as Tottenham Hotspur hosts Newcastle United at Wembley Stadium on Saturday at 7:30 a.m. ET live on NBCSN or live online at NBCSports.com.
Spurs got back to winning ways last time out, but it required a comeback to do so, and all is not settled in North London. The last five Tottenham matches across all competitions have featured three losses, a last-gasp win against relegation-threatened Fulham, and a late come-from-behind win against Watford. They hold a solid seven-point lead over fourth-placed Arsenal but every match feels more important than the last given the recent form.
In addition, the dire injury situation has not been relieved, and if anything it has worsened. Still without Dele Alli, Harry Kane and Ben Davies who are suffering from long-term issues, now Heung-Min Son’s status is in question after suffering from cramps. The South Korean has been heavily utilized the last few months after international duty in the Asian Cup, and could be feeling the effects of overuse.
For Newcastle, a win over Manchester City last time out - a second consecutive victory - has the Magpies with a pep in their step, but the job is far from done. They still sit just five points above the drop, very much still involved in the relegation scrap. Still, the pair of victories has Newcastle feeling much more confident, and another result against a top club could give them a true boost heading into the final third of the season.
New signing Miguel Almiron will not be available for this weekend’s match, still waiting on the completion of his work visa. Antonio Barreca, meanwhile, could make his debut on loan from Monaco, and Joselu could make his way back into the squad after missing out on the Man City win with an ankle problem.
What they’re saying
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino on title chances: “We are going to dream because we are close, we are there in a very good position and we are going to try and fight until the end to be as high as we can.”
Newcastle manager Rafa Benitez on turning fortunes: “I am happier now than one week ago. Why? We beat Man City and we brought in two players.”
Video preview
Prediction
These two teams will have a difficult and entertaining battle. With both sides still in a bit of flux, there’s plenty riding on the match. Despite that, a draw would be considered decent result for both sides given the cushion they both now hold over those below. A 1-1 draw seems a fair result, given Spurs’ spotty home form over the past few weeks.