If Tottenham’s Premier League season was a boxing match, you can bet the referee would have waved it off by now. Ange Postecoglou’s men are up against the ropes, with their exhausted squad being pushed to their limits after an injury crisis that has taken down their starting goalkeeper, centre-backs and left-back. Advertisement Spurs go into 2025 in 11th place after nine losses already and it doesn’t look like their Australian coach can afford to take any more damage — or Daniel Levy may throw in the towel and replace him.
There’s no let-off this weekend as they face a Newcastle side who are on fire under Eddie Howe. The Magpies have won five games on the spin in all competitions, including a 2-0 demolition of Manchester United at Old Trafford last time out. That winning run has seen them score 16 goals and concede one — which came in the Carabao Cup.
Not only are they one of the league’s in-form sides, but they also have Tottenham’s number in recent head-to-head stats. Newcastle have beaten Spurs in four of the last five meetings. Top four was Tottenham’s dream in the summer after finishing fifth last season with a young squad.
That now looks like an impossible dream, with Chelsea 11 points away in fourth. Newcastle could take full advantage, given they are just three points off fourth. Howe’s men qualified for the Champions League two seasons ago, but after going about their business in a clinical fashion, they are right back in the mix — with Manchest.
