Tottenham kick off the new year with a crucial home clash against an in-form Newcastle United.
Spurs’ first game of the 2025 calendar year is here, and we’re all looking forward to it—or maybe, just maybe, not so much. Half the Premier League season is done, and honestly, it’s been quite a while since I last checked the league table. Don’t plan on checking it anytime soon, either.
It’s that time of the year when Spurs face one of those annoying sides—Newcastle United. The stats suggest hope, though. These two have a habit of tormenting each other at home. We’ve seen nightmarish losses on both ends, but Saturday’s fixture favours Tottenham, at least in theory. These games are always entertaining—33 goals in their last seven meetings prove that, even if some of those moments were unforgettable for all the wrong reasons.
Let’s not forget the reverse fixture this season: Spurs’ first loss, and how Nick Pope decided to play the game of his life. That match set a theme for Tottenham’s season—dominating play but failing to convert chances. (Still blaming Ange? Really?) With the home advantage on Saturday, maybe Spurs can reconcile that bitter memory and make a statement.
Location: London, England
Stadium: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Date: Saturday 4th January 2025
Kick-off time: 12:30 pm BST
Referee: Andy Madley
VAR: Chris Kavanagh
Spurs are fresh from a 2-2 draw with Wolves—a match that should have been a comfortable win. Yet again, wasted chances told the story, though there were positives tactically. Postecoglou opted for two defensive midfielders rather than the usual pair of attacking midfielders, bringing something Spurs have lacked this season: ‘unpredictability’. Still, five home league games without a win (worst run since 2008) is a haunting stat. It’s about time that changed.
As for Newcastle, they’re in red-hot form—five straight wins, 16 goals scored, and none conceded in their last three. Their 2-0 win over Manchester United was a walk in the park. United didn’t register a single shot on target, and Newcastle’s discipline and organisation were impeccable. You will hardly find them conceding due to players out of position—a concept Spurs seem to struggle with lately.
When Newcastle do concede, though, it’s often when their defenders try to execute an offside trap and fail. Spotting these moments will be key for Spurs‘ attackers. On the flip side, their attack heavily relies on Anthony Gordon and Alexander Isak. Gordon thrives on the left flank, beating full-backs or whipping crosses in for Isak to convert. Both goals against United came from this very pattern. Porro will need to tighten up, as Wolves’ Rayan Aït-Nouri showed just how easily Spurs’ right side can be exploited.
Well, I’ll start off with the positives. I know you must be tired of reading too much about Spurs’ injuries lately. The January transfer window opens up tomorrow (1st January), and we’re already hearing a lot of rumours about being linked to a few players. But on a realistic note, it’s unlikely Spurs will do any business so soon and get a player on board within four days—but you never know what to expect.
Now, onto the unavoidable topic—the injury list.
Just when Ange Postecoglou thinks he’s getting a couple of Tottenham players back from the treatment room or the suspension list, he loses another one or two. Though Djed Spence returns after serving his ban, Bentancur is out after picking up his 5th yellow card of the season.
Destiny Udogie’s hamstring injury is a huge blow. Reguilón, who I thought looked decent against Wolves, could well be making his final Spurs appearance if Ange decides to give him a few minutes towards the end.
James Maddison should return to the starting XI after being benched for the previous 2 games. With his yellow cards tally reset, he’ll be itching to add to his tally as Spurs’ top scorer this season.
For those keeping track, Richarlison, Romero, Van de Ven, and Vicario remain sidelined alongside Udogie. Any updates on Moore’s status will follow in the coming days.
Although Ange informed that Dragusin wasn’t a hundred per cent fit going into the Wolves game, he’s likely to start. (Who else do Spurs even have?)
Newcastle have their own absentees, including Sven Botman, Nick Pope, and Callum Wilson. Fabian Schär is suspended, forcing Lloyd Kelly, into the lineup. Kelly, who was linked to Spurs in the past, hasn’t played since November, and his rustiness could be an opportunity for Spurs to exploit.
Forster; Porro, Dragusin, Gray, Spence; Kulusevski, Bentancur, Maddison, Johnson; Solanke, Son.
Alexander Isak is Newcastle’s biggest threat—17 goal involvements in 20 games and a six-match scoring streak in the league. He’s not just a finisher but also a playmaker, dropping deep to link up with Gordon and Newcastle’s dynamic midfield trio. Spurs need to cut off Gordon’s supply line to Isak; stop one, and you might just stop the other.
Eddie Howe deserves credit for Newcastle’s versatility. One match they’ll dominate possession, the next they’ll hit teams on the counter. It makes predicting their tactics and drawing out their playstyle a headache.
While there’s a slightly noticeable pattern in how Newcastle score and concede lately—(favouring the left and occasionally being caught out by a failed offside trap as I’ve mentioned above)—there’s no guarantee we’ll see a repeat of this. However, Newcastle are definitely stronger on the left in attacking terms and Spurs are defensively weaker on the right so that just makes it likelier that Newcastle are going to target Porro’s side. Spurs must find a way to counter that, or this could get ugly.
Predicted score: Tottenham Hotspur 4-1 Newcastle.
Starting the year with a win? Here’s hoping Spurs finally give fans something to cheer about.
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