NEWCASTLE’S first game under Saudi ownership has done anything but gone to plan on a surreal afternoon on Tyneside.
The new owners’ reign could hardly have started better as Callum Wilson headed the Toon in front after just two minutes, but nothing since then has followed the script.
Spurs equalised on 17 minutes when Tanguy Ndombele fired a powerful strike into the top corner to level, before Harry Kane netted a deft chip to put Nuno’s men ahead.
The match then had to be suspended after a fan was tended to in the stands, with the Spurs players praised for alerting the officials to the incident.
And once the match resumed, Kane squared to Son to double the North Londoners’ advantage.
Then to compound the home fans’ woes, Jonjo Shelvey was sent off after a second booking for hacking Sergio Reguilon down.
An inexplicable Eric Dier own goal then gave Newcastle hope, but in reality they were well beaten on the day.
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GOODNIGHT
It’s been a day of differing emotions at St James’ Park, but the feeling among Newcastle fans as they make their way home is a familiar one: disappointment.
The Toon Army are still without a win eight games into the campaign and have another 12 to get through before any of Public Investment Fund’s money can be spent on a squad overhaul.
So a new era begins, a new manager will almost certainly follow, but it’s likely to be the same old relegation fight for Newcastle as far as this season goes.
Tottenham, meanwhile, are up to fifth following a second consecutive win, while Harry Kane is back in the groove – and back among the goals.
Action turns towards another North London club tomorrow as Arsenal take on Crystal Palace in an all-capital affair. Be sure to join us.
BRUCE BOWING OUT?
Steve Bruce was unable to mark his 1000th game as a football manager with a win, and once again came in for heavy criticism from home fans towards the end of today’s home defeat.
After the game, he faced up to the media, and explained that’ll he keep on keeping on, but the writing looks on the wall.
“We were beaten by the better team after making a wonderful start.
“The problems defensively that we’ve had for a while were there for all to see. Some of the defending left a lot to be desired. We huffed and puffed in the second half but never had any sustained pressure on Spurs.
[My future] is for other people to decide. If I believed everything I read last week, I wouldn’t have been here today. Whoever you manage, if you haven’t won in seven or eight games, you become under pressure. I’ll carry on as best I can until I hear otherwise.
Steve Bruce
KANE ON THE MARK
Harry Kane finally ended his Premier League goal drought with a well-taken goal, and then struck the right tone in his post-match interview by steering his opening question away from football to send his best wishes to the Newcastle fan taken ill inside the stadium.
NUNO DELIGHT
Tottenham boss Nuno Espirito Santo was delighted with his players for the way in which they responded after a slow start at a raucous St James’ Park.
I think we handled [the game] well, but we didn’t start it well. We knew what was coming with what’s happening at Newcastle and the atmosphere around the club. We didn’t handle it but we reacted fast and played really good football.
Nuno Espirito Santo
PLAYERS QUICK TO ACT
Players from both sides have been praised for the manner in which they acted in the first half when a Newcastle supporter was taken ill in the East Stand.
Eric Dier and Sergio Reguilon in particular have been saluted for their actions. Dier was quickly over to the dugout to ask for the defibrillator while Reguilon was responsible for making referee Andre Marriner aware of the unfolding situation.
I heard the fans saying ‘stop, stop!’ and I saw the fan lying down, and one man [giving him CPR]. I was very nervous and I went to the referee and said ‘look at this, we cannot play, stop the match.’
Sergio Reguilon
HOME HELP REQUIRED
Newcastle’s soft centre was once again exposed despite taking an early lead in front of their own fans. Making St James’ Park a fortress again is another essential act for the club’s new ownership.
Credit: @OptaJoe Twitter CHALLENGE AHEAD
St James Park’ was a cauldron of anticipation and excitement earlier today ahead of their first game post-takeover.
However, under the watchful eyes of their new owners, Newcastle were well off the pace set by Tottenham Hotspur. If Public Investment Fund were under any delusions as to the rebuild in front of them, they won’t be now.
Credit: @Squawka Twitter FULL TIME STATS
One shot on target and two goals? Perhaps Newcastle’s new owners are working their magic already. Now to concentrate on a defence that gave up 14 attempts to Tottenham, and has conceded more goals than any other in the Premier League.
FT: NEWCASTLE 2-3 SPURS
“No noise from the Saudi boys,” sang the Tottenham travelling fans in the second half as their side paraded to an away win. The 3-2 scoreline flatters the hosts, who – the first ten minutes aside – were second best throughout in front of their new owners. The game began and ended with Newcastle finding the back of the net, but in between Spurs were razor sharp and netted through Tanguy Ndombele, Harry Kane and Heung-min Son. Jonjo Shelvey’s sending off for two bookable offences 23 minutes after coming on as a substitute summed up the performance of Steve Bruce’s men.
PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!
THE FULL TIME WHISTLE IS BLOWN!NEWCASTLE 2-3 SPURS
90+3. Joelinton becomes the 93rd Newcastle player to be booked this afternoon, and the 47th for the act of fouling Ndombele.
NEWCASTLE 2-3 SPURS
90. Four minutes are displayed on the fourth official’s board.
Can the ten men of Newcastle rescue a most unlikely point?
NEWCASTLE 2-3 SPURS
89. What on earth?!
Newcastle have a goal back with one minute of normal time remaining thanks to a bizarre own-goal from Eric Dier.
With no home player near him, the Spurs centre-back makes a hash of defending Jacob Murphy’s deep free-kick from the right, and diverts it past Hugo Lloris with what looked like his knee.
Newcastle haven’t looked like scoring in this second half, so the visitors have decided to help them out to set up a grandstand finish.
OWN-GOAL!!
ERIC DIER PUTS THROUGH HIS OWN NET!!NEWCASTLE 1-3 SPURS
86. The Newcastle players react to the sending off with a slight change in shape.
Ryan Fraser has dropped into central midfield with Allan Saint-Maximin now playing on his own up front.
NEWCASTLE 1-3 SPURS
83. If Jonjo Shelvey’s first yellow card was inevitable, his second is sheer stupidity. In fact, they were both pretty daft and utterly needless.
Chasing after Sergio Reguilon, the Newcastle substitute has no hope of getting to the ball yet still attempts the challenge from behind which, of course, brings the Spurs left-back crashing to the floor.
Andre Marriner has no choice, and Shelvey’s 23-minute cameo is over.
RED CARD!
JONJO SHELVEY IS SENT OFF FOR A SECOND BOOKABLE OFFENCE!NEWCASTLE 1-3 SPURS
81. Handball appeals in both areas within the matter of seconds, neither of which end in penalties being awarded.
Tottenham certainly had more of a shout after `Ritchie again was leaping with his arm up, whereas the Newcastle claim appeared to strike Dier on the back.
NEWCASTLE 1-3 SPURS
79. As certain as night following day, Jonjo Shelvey receives a yellow card,
Not content with clambering all over the back of Ndombele, the Newcastle midfielder then clatters the calves of his Spurs counterpart from behind.
Shelvey was part of a double substitution that also saw Jacob Murphy introduced with Callum Wilson and Joe Willock making way.
NEWCASTLE 1-3 SPURS
78. Jonjo Shelvey gets booked.
NEWCASTLE 1-3 SPURS
75. Tottenham force a succession of corners, but you get the impression that the visitors are keeping it sensible and saving themselves for greater tests ahead.
NEWCASTLE 1-3 SPURS
73. Saint-Maximin often has to do it all himself so it’s no surprise to see him try as much here.
It starts well after he bursts in off the left and past an opponent in the blink of an eye, but his resulting shot is high, wide and heading for the Tyne Bridge.
NEWCASTLE 1-3 SPURS
72. In desperate need of two goals, Newcastle have been responsible for just 15% of the possession in the last ten minutes.
I’m not sure Steve Bruce will make it to his 1001st match anytime soon.
NEWCASTLE 1-3 SPURS
70. His display won’t make many headlines, but Oliver Skipp has again excelled alongside Hojbjerg in midfield.
The youngster demonstrates great composure and some very smart positional play.
NEWCASTLE 1-3 SPURS
68. Another minute passes, another Newcastle player goes into the book.
This time Isaac Hayden is the guilty party for the crime of climbing over the back of Lucas Moura – and not for the first time today.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
