Tottenham Hotspur drew their opening game of the 2024/25 Premier League season, then won emphatically in their second clash, as was the case last year.
Having thrashed Everton 4-0 last weekend, Tottenham are preparing to visit their bogey ground, St. James’ Park, and take on Newcastle United, having lost their past two trips to Tyneside by an aggregate scoreline of 10-1.
Ange Postecoglou is shaping Spurs to his design and looks to be gearing up for a concerted drive toward Champions League qualification and perhaps even an elusive slice of silverware.
There’s so much to like about this Tottenham side, mixed with youth and experience, dynamism and depth across the park. Injuries ruined last term’s electric-paced start, however, and fans will be desperate to see the Lilywhites’ collective fitness level hold up this time.
1 Spurs team news
The primary frustration Postecoglou is dealing with ahead of this afternoon’s fixture is the absence of Dominic Solanke, who missed out last week after picking up an ankle injury in training.
The centre-forward, who signed from Bournemouth in a club record £65m deal this summer, will play no part today but Postecoglou has allayed fears of a lengthy setback, revealing in his pre-match press conference that he is “close” to returning but won’t be risked with the international break forthcoming.
Spurs’ striker issue is exacerbated by the expected absence of Richarlison, who pulled up with a muscle injury in training and will play no part. Heung-min Son will be expected to retain his spot at the spearhead.
Rodrigo Bentancur missed out last week too, having suffered a concussion during Tottenham’s opening-day draw against Leicester City, but he is back in the frame now and must start in the middle of the park.
2 Why Rodrigo Bentancur must start vs Newcastle
He can’t seem to catch a break. Bentancur missed the majority of 2023 after injuring an anterior cruciate ligament against Leicester in February of last year, ending an impressive 2022/23 campaign.
His misfortune spilt heavily into Postecoglou’s first term at the helm, and he managed just 13 Premier League starts. It’s a cruel sense of irony to see him start the fresh season off in such a manner, having suffered the blow at the King Power Stadium once again.
He’s the complete package, dynamic, skilled and hard-working, fuelled by a ceaseless engine. When fit and at his best, Bentancur is comfortably one of the best players on the pitch.
Described as a “Rolls-Royce” by football writer Tom Robinson, he ranks among the top 9% of centre-midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for passes attempted and the top 8% for touches in the attacking penalty area and interceptions per 90, emphasising his technical skill and athleticism.
Minutes played
78′
Touches
62
Shots taken
3
Accurate passes
46/47 (98%)
Dribble attempts
0/1
Tackles
2
Interceptions
3
Total duels won
4/11
Alongside Yves Bissouma or Archie Gray in the engine room, blending with James Maddison in the central spot, Bentancur could be the difference-maker, proving combative out of possession and influential when on the ball.
His redeployment to the starting line-up would see Dejan Kuluesvski displaced, and while such a change should be enforced, the Sweden international must start too.
3 How Dejan Kulusevski could keep Son firing
Kulusevski, of course, is typically a right-sided forward. He doesn’t have the fleet feet of Brennan Johnson, Wilson Odobert or Timo Werner, but his intelligence, creativity and hands-on style could be crucial in allowing Son to shine against the Magpies.
Benched for the opening game of the term, Kulusevski excelled against Everton, picking up an assist, completing 95% of his passes and two dribbles, and winning four of his seven contested duels, as per Sofascore.
Odobert did a decent job against the Toffees, but Newcastle are one of the best-drilled and coherent outfits in the Premier League, and a player of Kulusevski’s quality could be crucial in ensuring the hosts are outthought and outfought.
After all, he was handed an 8/10 match score by football.london after his recent display, with reporter Alasdair Gold writing: ‘Back in the team in midfield and he had a big part to play in the opening goal with his dribbling in the Everton final third and then teeing up Bissouma. A bright return to the team and has shown that he’s a very good option as a member of that midfield three.’
Sky Sports’ Jamie Weir summed him up nicely, saying: “Dejan Kulusevski really is a special special player. Works so hard, covers every blade of grass. Hell of an engine on him, and just so much heart.”
He’s not just a workhorse: he’s a thoroughbred creative sensation. Last season, the indefatigable winger created 14 big chances in the English top flight and averaged 1.5 dribbles and 1.8 key passes per game.
The South Korean skipper bagged twice last time out and will fancy his chances up front once again today. However, he’s only scored five goals in 16 fixtures against the Toon, who will seek to marshall him and subdue his attacking threat.
But you wouldn’t bet against the 32-year-old finding the back of the net if Tottenham turn up on Tyneside, with Postecoglou even hailing his talisman as a “superstar” and “world-class”.
He’s much, much more than just a goalscorer though. As per FBref, Son ranks among the top 7% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 11% for shot-creating actions, the top 1% for pass completion, the top 7% for progressive passes and the top 6% for progressive carries per 90.
Effectively, he can return the favour and pull defenders away, thread balls through, to keep Tottenham’s attack multi-dimensional, allowing Kulusevski to find space and work on his ball-striking too.
It’s pretty clear that Son will start as the centre-forward against Newcastle, but some supporters might be concerned that Kulusevski could lose his place given Bentancur’s been given the green light to return to the pitch.
He simply has to shift up to the right flank, where he can wreak chaos and work in tandem with his many-faceted captain.
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