Newcastle United VS Tottenham Hotspur Match Prediction
2018-08-11
11:30:00
Newcastle United
VS
Tottenham Hotspur
Our Prediction Tip
Tottenham Hotspur will win this match.
2018-08-1111:30:00 Tottenham Hotspur will win this match.
Tottenham won both matches against Newcastle last season, including their victory at St James Park on the opening day. They have a marginally better head-to-head record with 68 wins in 158 games, compared to Newcastle’s 58.
Last season, Dele Alli and Ben Davies scored on the opening day in a 2-0 Spurs win, while Harry Kane scored the only goal of the game in the return match at Wembley – securing a first league double against the Magpies since 2004/05. Here are the results of the last five matches:
May 09, 2018: Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Newcastle United
Aug 13, 2017: Newcastle United 0-2 Tottenham Hotspur
May 15, 2016: Newcastle United 5-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Dec 13, 2015: Tottenham Hotspur 1-2 Newcastle United
Apr 19, 2015: Newcastle United 1-3 Tottenham Hotspur
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Tottenham Hotspur are without nine first team players because of their World Cup commitments but have still largely performed well in pre-season.
Christian Eriksen is back, as is Son Heung-Min, while Lucas Moura and Fernando Llorente did not go away. That provides plenty in attack, while the defence boasts Serge Aurier, Davison Sanchez and Ben Davies.
That is plenty of experience to be getting on with and so, though this is far from their full-strength team, they have enough about them to get a good result.
Newcastle have been disappointed by the lack of transfer activity at St James Park this summer, but the arrival of Salomon Rondon could be key – they have lacked goals this summer and the Venezuelan striker could be the man to fix that issue.
Spurs won both games against Newcastle last season, however, and if the likes of Eriksen are at their best, it will be a tough afternoon at St James Park for the hosts.
The unavailability of several key players may have lengthened the odds on a Tottenham win compared to normal, but Mauricio Pochettino’s side are still very much favourites.
Tottenham are favourites to beat Newcastle, but the unavailability of several key players means you can back them at 11/10 with Bet365 or 10Bet.
Newcastle failed to score in both games against Spurs last season, meanwhile, and even though Tottenham are light at the back they still have the strength and experience to keep new man Salomon Rondon at bay. A Tottenham win to nil is 5/2 with Bet365 and Ladbrokes.
At the other end, Fernando Llorente has a big opportunity to step up in Harry Kane’s absence. He scored twice against Roma in America to recapture some of his goalscoring touch and is 39/19 to score at any time with 888sport.
There were less than 2.5 goals in both games between these two last season, however, and under 2.5 goals again will return 4/5 with Bet365, Ladbrokes, Betfair and 888sport.
Tottenham might be short of first-team players but they have enjoyed a happier pre-season than Newcastle did. They still have the strength in depth to claim an opening-day victory.
Florian Lejeune will miss the game through injury but Martin Dubravka – who signed a permanent deal in the summer – is fit to play despite missing the final friendly against Augsburg. Salomon Rondon could come straight into the starting line-up after signing on loan from West Brom with Newcastle lacking goals in pre-season.
Salomon Rondon – Newcastle need more goals, and have turned to Salomon Rondon to provide them. He scored ten in 39 West Brom games last season.
Jonjo Shelvey – The English midfielder’s creativity and range of passing led to some calls for a surprise World Cup call-up – he did not make the plane to Russia but all eyes will be on him this season.
Martin Dubravka – His arrival on loan in goal coincided with Newcastle’s upturn in fortunes, with four clean sheets in 12 games to prompt a permanent move.
Newcastle failed to score in any of their last three pre-season friendlies, as off-field problems overshadowed their preparations. They lost 1-0 to Augsburg last time out after a 4-0 defeat to Braga which prompted Rafa Benitez to plead for more backing in the transfer window. Prior to that, they drew 0-0 with Porto and 2-2 with Hull City, with a 2-0 win at St Patrick’s Athletic their only friendly victory.
Mauricio Pochettino does not expect any of Tottenham’s nine World Cup semi-finalists to be fit to play at St James Park, with the manager unwilling to risk their fitness after only just returning to pre-season training. That means Hugo Lloris, Kieran Trippier, Danny Rose, Eric Dier, Dele Alli, Harry Kane, Moussa Dembele, Toby Alderweireld (if he’s even still at the club) and Jan Vertonghen will miss out. That could hand an opportunity to Georges-Kevin N’Koudou, who has impressed in pre-season, while Fernando Llorente will start up front.
Christian Eriksen – In Kane and Alli’s absence, Eriksen will be Spurs’ chief creative and attacking threat after ten goals and ten assists in the league last season.
Fernando Llorente – Has a big opportunity in Kane’s absence to prove his value up front after a disappointing debut season.
Son Heung-Min – Back in the goals in pre-season on his World Cup return and will look to add to the 39 he has netted across the last two campaigns.
Considering the players they had unavailable, Spurs enjoyed a relatively successful pre-season until a 4-1 thrashing – with a young team – away to Girona last time out. Other friendlies included behind-closed-doors games against Southend, who they beat 6-0, and Brentford – whom Georges-Kevin N’Koudou scored a 90th minute winner against in a 2-1 win. They then travelled to America for the International Champions Cup, where Fernando Llorente and Lucas Moura scored twice in a 4-1 thrashing of Roma first up. They then came from 2-0 down thanks to Son and N’Koudou’s goals against Barcelona to draw 2-2 (but lost on penalties) before N’Koudou scored in a 1-0 defeat of Milan. Lucas gave Spurs the lead against Girona last time out, but they crashed to a heavy defeat.
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