Tottenham burst Newcastle bubble and show signs of brighter future under Nuno Espirito Santo

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Dan Kilpatrick @Dan_KP17 October 2021

Tottenham burst Newcastle’s Saudi bubble and provided reasons for optimism about their own future on an afternoon when the football felt secondary to the hosts’ uncomfortable celebration of their controversial new ownership and the collapse of a supporter during the first half.

A man was taken to hospital after being stabilised by paramedics in the stands, with Tottenham pair Sergio Reguilon and Eric Dier the heroes of the day for their reaction to the incident.

It helped to put the football into sharp perspective but there were nonetheless positives for Spurs, who came into the game on the back of another disruptive international break.

Nuno Espirito Santo can now point to back-to-back League wins after their wretched run of three derby defeats in September, as well as the gradual emergence of an effective style of play. Spurs looked sharp going forward and will surely improve defensively, given Emerson Royal and Cristian Romero played here despite featuring for their countries in South America during the early hours of Friday morning.

Spurs initially seemed surprised by the rocking atmosphere at St. James’ Park and were caught disorganised and flat-footed when Javier Manquillo crossed for Callum Wilson to head home a second-minute opener, raising the roof.

Once the visitors had appeared to realise they were still playing Steve Bruce’s relegation-threatened side, they turned the game on its head before half-time through Tanguy Ndombele, Harry Kane and Heung-min Son.

All three goals underlined Spurs’ quality and the third through Son was an impressive show of skill and focus, coming in first-half stoppage-time after a lengthy break of more than 20 minutes when the players returned to the dressing rooms while the supporter received emergency medical treatment.

The second half was, for the most part, as comfortable as Spurs have looked under Nuno but that there is still work to be done was underlined by a nervy finale after Dier turned into his own net with a minute to play. Beforehand, Newcastle had been reduced to ten men for two Jonjo Shelvey bookings.

Kane kickstarts season

Last month, England was Kane’s salvation from a troubled start to the season with Spurs but October’s international break only increased the questions around the striker after his no-show against Hungary.

Kane came into this game under increasing scrutiny and would have perhaps been grateful that the sideshow of Newcastle’s new ownership distracted from his form.

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Doubting Kane is a mug’s game, however, and he want some way to silencing his critics with his best performance of the season on Tyneside.

His goal was a reminder of his best form – a superb arched run to beat the offside trap from Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s pass and deft first-time flick over goalkeeper Karl Darlow.

He turned provider before the interval, firing in a driven cross for Son to convert at the back post, rekindling their electric partnership from last season and inching close to the all-time Premier League record for combinations leading to goals.

An obvious caveat was Newcastle’s poorness and David Moyes’s well organised West Ham side will present an altogether tougher test next weekend.

Nonetheless, you wondered if this was the match to finally kickstart Kane’s faltering season, which would potentially be a game-changer for Nuno and Spurs.

Ndombele looks the part

Tottenham’s other standout performer was Ndombele, who looked every inch a creative No.10 for perhaps the first time in a Spurs shirt.

There has been much debate about the maverick Frenchman’s best position. Is he a No.8? A No.4? Where can his unique skillet be best emphasised and his weaknesses best disguised?

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This was a display which suggested he is best deployed high up the pitch. He was Spurs only ray of light in the opening 20 minutes, full of flicks and tricks as he attempted to knit together the front four.

He hauled them back into the match with a superb strike and he clearly has the quality to add goals to his game if he is allowed to get in the right positions.

Talent or even positional deployment has never been Ndombele’s problem, though. Rather his fitness and motivation. But he looked sharper and livelier than in any other match this season and there was no second-half slump, which has become a feature of his game.

Again, Newcastle were poor so this display should only go down as a baby step for Ndombele. But when Spurs needed him to step up, he did and that bodes well for the future.

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