Tottenham, usually a mainstay in the Premier League’s top 4, has been struggling this season and is currently in 11th place. They are 6 points away from the top 6, which would qualify them for European competitions.
Their recent performance has been poor, with four losses in their last five games: a 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth, a 4-3 loss to Chelsea, a 6-3 defeat to Liverpool, and a 1-0 loss to Nottingham Forest on Boxing Day, despite a significant 5-0 victory against Southampton. After two straight losses, they only managed a 2-2 draw against Wolves, who are fighting relegation.
Newcastle, although inconsistent in the Premier League, seems to be regaining form. After a challenging period of four games without a win, including two draws and two losses, they rebounded with strong victories over Leicester (4-0), Brentford (3-1), Ipswich (4-0), and most recently Aston Villa (3-0).
Their upcoming match against Manchester United is crucial for their hopes of finishing in the top 6, as they currently sit in 7th place, just one point behind Bournemouth.
Tottenham will be without several key players, including their first-choice goalkeeper Vicario, and defenders Romero and Van de Ven. Additionally, Davies, Odobert, and Richarlison will be absent, while Spence is suspended. However, central defender Dragusin has returned to the squad.
Despite these challenges, Tottenham still boasts a strong offensive lineup with players like Son (5 goals, 6 assists in the Premier League), Maddison (8 goals, 4 assists), Kulusevski (5 goals, 4 assists), Johnson (7 goals), and Solanke (6 goals, 3 assists) performing well this season. While their scoring ability is evident, their defensive weaknesses continue to be a problem.
Prediction
Newcastle is known for their strong defense under their current coach, yet interestingly, 11 of their last 15 Premier League matches have featured at least two goals. Similarly, seven out of Tottenham’s eight matches this season have seen more than two goals.
Prediction: Tottenham 2 – 3 Newcastle.
