Preview - Tottenham Hotspur vs Newcastle United 10 May 2018

[Harry85]

Match Day 37
Tottenham Hotspur vs Newcastle United
Thursday, May 10th, 2018
04:00am (GMT+8 Timing)
Stadium: Wembley Stadium

Tottenham Hotspur: 
Last five matches form: L D L W L
Average goals per match: 1.89
Average goals against per match: 0.89
Top Scorer: Harry Kane (27)

Newcastle United:
Last five matches form: W W L L L
Average goals per match: 1.00
Average goals against per match: 1.28
Top Scorer: Ayoze Perez (7)

Tottenham Hotspur welcome Newcastle United to Wembley Stadium in their penultimate game of the 2018/18 campaign as they bid to ensure Champions League football next season. Now only two points clear of Chelsea - who host Huddersfield Town tonight - they really can't afford any slip ups in their remaining two fixtures.

Newcastle don't have anything like so much to play for. It's a case of mission accomplished for Rafa Benitez and his men, and it must be noted that the Black and White's intensity levels have dropped markedly since they secured their Premier League status. They do still sit in the top half of the table, but with Chelsea to follow after this game, they will do well to hold onto that position.

Harry Winks remains the main doubt for Spurs, whilst Newcastle must do without loan striker Islam Slimani who has now been suspended for the remainder of the season.

Spurs themselves have taken a little dip of late, but have still been reliable at home, winning five of their last six in the League, with the only blemish being a loss to champions Manchester City.

The very thing that was enabling Newcastle to pick up so many positive results as they were bidding to avoid the drop was their intensity and relentless pressuring. The desire to apply themselves in such a manner has perhaps understandably diminished in recent weeks, seeing the Magpies lose their last two on the road to Everton and Watford.

Spurs are the better side, have they greater motivation and should come out on top here.


 Prediction: Tottenham Hotspur 3 - 1 Newcastle United

[Harry85]

Half time: 0 - 0
Full time: 1 - 0
Shots: 11 - 14
Shots on target: 7 - 3
Corner Kicks: 6 - 4
Possession: 63% - 37%

Five yellow cards issued by referee Neil Swarbrick in this one. Dele Alli and Erik Lamela seeing yellow for Spurs, and Matt Ritchie, Mohamed Diame and DeAndre Yedlin doing likewise for Newcastle.

Newcastle played with credit here, and were certainly better than they have been against the likes of Everton and West Brom recently. Ultimately they still came away with nothing though in what was a fourth Premier league defeat on the spin.

The visitors were matching their host for chances early on. Ayoze Perez forcing a save from Hugo Llloris and Jonjo Shelvey rattling the woodwork from a free kick. 0-0 at half time.

Harry Kane still doesn't look quite up to full speed to my eyes, but hopefully he will be able to return to his peak in time for the World Cup this summer. Whenever the England front man is on the pitch he's a danger though, and it was he who once again produced the decisive moment in this game.

Heung-Min Son working the ball in from the right side of the area to tee up Kane around 14 yards from goal. Excellent curling side-footed finish into the top right corner from Kane to give Spurs the lead in the 50th minute.

Chances at either ends flowing the goal, but no further additions to the score-line.

With Chelsea failing to beat Huddersfield at Stamford Bridge, this ended up being a big win for the home side. It had looked to be only a matter of time, prior to a slight wobble in recent weeks, but Mauricio Pochettino's troops now definitely will be playing Champions League football next season.

Champions League football is something Newcastle fans can only dream of at present, but they do at least have Premier League football to look forward to next year, which was always the Magpies main objective for the season.