Newcastle, Tottenham Duel at St. James’ Park in Top-four Battle

With Arsenal and Manchester City almost assured of a top two finish on the Premier League log, the race for the top four is however still not clear with about five clubs still having a chance to book a Champions League ticket. Fourth placed Newcastle United will tomorrow welcome Tottenham Hotspur, who are on their heels in fifth position to St. James’ Park in an encounter both sides would be boosted by a win for a chance to finish in the top-four. Both sides were beaten last weekend and would therefore want to get back to winning ways fast as anything short of a win would be a deservice to their ambition

In a game that could possibly make or break Tottenham Hotspur’s Champions League ambitions, the Lilywhites travel north to meet Newcastle United at St James’ Park in tomorrow’s Premier League battle.

Cristian Stellini’s side fell to an agonising 3-2 loss to Bournemouth last weekend, while the hosts suffered a painful beating of their own, going down 3-0 to Aston Villa.

As eye-catching as Villa have been going forward under Unai Emery, few expected Newcastle to capitulate in the manner that they did in the West Midlands, as Ollie Watkins single-handedly bullies the Magpies’ defence and sent them back home with their tails tucked between their legs.

After knocking the ball down for Jacob Ramsey to draw first blood, Watkins continued his scintillating form with a second-half brace to put a pitiful Newcastle to the sword – only a fourth defeat of the Premier League season for Howe’s Champions League chasers.

A five-game winning streak was brought to an abrupt end at Villa Park, allowing Manchester United to leapfrog their northern adversaries in the Premier League standings, but with Tottenham also found wanting in recent weeks, Newcastle are clinging onto the fourth and final Champions League spot for the time being – also possessing a game in hand on the North London club.

With Manchester United vying for a place in the FA Cup final, victory for Newcastle tomorrow                                 would allow them to surge back onto the podium, and only a six-goal win for Tottenham would push Howe’s men out of the Champions League places entirely.

The defensive acumen that Newcastle used to pride themselves on is no longer present; the hosts have kept just one clean sheet in their last 12 games in all tournaments – although that did come in their most recent home win over Manchester United – and Liverpool remain the only team to get the better of the Magpies in front of the wall of black and white this season.

The air of toxicity engulfing the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has been apparent for a number of weeks, but Spurs’ season arguably reached a low ebb during the visit of Bournemouth, who came out on the correct end of a 3-2 scoreline in North London this time around.

Arnaut Danjuma – who has been a peripheral figure since joining from Villarreal – had seemingly rescued a point for the hosts late on, but Dango Ouattara’s 95th-minute winner sparked scenes of delirium for the away end and a familiar sense of doom and gloom for the Lilywhites faithful.

An error-strewn cameo from Davinson Sanchez led to the Colombian being booed by his own fans before being sympathetically withdrawn, and Spurs’ shambles of a week also saw Fabio Paratici resign from his role as sporting director in the wake of his failed appeal over a 30-month suspension. To say that Cristian Stellini is facing an uphill task to galvanise his troops would be an understatement.

Antonio Conte’s former lieutenant has just one win from his three games as acting head coach for the fifth-placed Lilywhites, who have both of Aston Villa and Brighton & Hove Albion breathing down their necks, and defeat at St James’ Park would represent the most damaging blow yet to their Champions League hopes.

Only two of Spurs’ last eight games in all tournaments have now ended in victory, and not since January have they won an away match – losing four and drawing two of their last six on the road during a terrible spell on their travels.

Newcastle came away from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with a 2-1 win to their name back in October – ending a five-game winless run against Spurs, who spoiled the Magpies’ takeover party with a 3-2 success at St James’ Park 18 months ago.