Newcastle 2 Spurs 2 and ‘Ultimately this felt like a defeat’

Right then, opportunity knocks.

Having ruthlessly despatched Everton at the weekend and beaten Man City in some style last time out at SJP, there was a chance to put a bit of a run together that might even see us escape the bottom half of the table.

Enter a favourite opponent, with Spurs beaten on six of the last seven meetings, including just a few weeks ago here in the League Cup. Their latest defeat in a horrible run saw the manager calling out the fans for getting on the keeper’s back so it felt like a great time to be playing this lot.

Everything was lined up for Newcastle so of course it went wrong.

United had the best of the first half but it felt like Bruno’s distribution was a big miss in the engine room, the captain having been rested. Tonali returned but looked off the pace, including with his corners which Lewis Miley should have been taking after his killer deliveries at the Hill Dickinson.

Joelinton was also quiet despite there being plenty ruckus going on that was right up his alley. Spurs came and played an unexpectedly physical game but the ref seemed determined to “let things go” and they somehow made it through without getting anyone sent off or brayed by Joelinton.

Big Joe did have the best moment of the half, when he latched onto Murphy’s through ball and beat the keeper with a sharp drive only for it to cannon back off the inside of the post.

Bruno did appear for the second half, although there has been subsequent alarm about the withdrawal of Tonali who went off with a “knock” that Eddie Howe was typically cryptic about afterwards. His presence did make a difference but Spurs were playing uncharacteristically deep and seemingly relying on Kudus on the break as their only attacking outlet and this was playing out as a frustrating evening.

Bruno duly delivered the breakthrough with twenty minutes to go, with the newly introduced Anthony Gordon rediscovering the concept of a probing run down the left. He found Woltemade who laid it off for Bruno to strike a quite lovely shot across the keeper and into the corner from the edge of the box. Cue the usual nineteen celebrations.

All celebrations were to prove short-lived of course, as Spurs were now forced to attack. United did that thing where they couldn’t quite adapt to a change in tempo and Kudus looped a cross over that Romero ghosted in to head past Ramsdale at the near post. Having huffed and puffed for so long to take the lead, that felt like it.

There was more to be written though, as a corner to United saw Bentancur engage in the usual wrestling with Burn that you get at set plays these days. Of course it was a foul, he practically rugby tackled BDB, but these never get given. On this occasion the VAR decided otherwise and after the charade of the ref going to the screen, United were handed a golden chance. Gordon banged in the pen for his first PL goal since January and a scruffy but valuable win was on.

I’m not blaming this, but nine minutes of stoppage time was ridiculous. Yes there was a VAR stoppage but the way time is getting piled on these days they might as well just hold up an infinity symbol, or a board saying “until Newcastle let one in.”

Let one in we did, and it might have only taken five minutes but the attacking impetus Spurs were given by a 10% extension of the match was still a factor. Either way, this was one of the worst, most amateurish goals I’ve ever seen us concede. Ramsdale’s punch wasn’t strong enough and Romero shinned in an overhead kick that should have been laughed away, but instead was allowed to bounce in the box, before a horrible delayed response by Ramsdale saw him let it into the Leazes goal and two points trickle off with it.

It’s not a disaster in itself, we didn’t lose, but God this felt like a defeat.

The momentum gained heading into Burnley and the subsequent derby could have been transformative. Instead we are left to rue the fact that we can’t seem to escape 13th place in the table, and a stunning 11 points have now been surrendered from winning positions. Holding on to these leads would have seen us top of the league all told.

The concession of another injury time goal leads to more questions about game management and I fear for my central nervous system if we are level or one ahead going into added time on Wearside.

Finally, more than one person muttered on the way out that Nick Pope would have saved the second and arguably the first goal, so expect a lengthy keeper dialogue to continue all season. Ramsdale maybe gets the excuse of needing to adapt to his defence, a moot point as he has the shirt for the remainder of the month at least, following Pope’s injury confirmation.

Ultimately this felt like a defeat. The seventh place we occupied on 94 minutes once again becomes the target on Saturday, as a bit of extra pressure comes for a match against a Burnley side surely coming to camp out deep. On to this one and the chance to get things on track again.

Newcastle 2 Spurs 2 – Tuesday 2 December 2025 8.15pm

Match Stats

Goals:

Newcastle United:

Bruno 71, Gordon 86 pen

Spurs:

Romero 78, 90+5

Possession was Newcastle 53% Spurs 47%

Total shots were Newcastle 19 Spurs 8

Shots on target were Newcastle 7 Spurs 2

Corners were Newcastle 11 Spurs 8

Touches in the opposition box Newcastle 38 Spurs 22

Newcastle team v Spurs:

Ramsdale, Livramento, Thiaw, Burn, Hall, Joelinton, Tonali (Bruno 46), Miley (Schar 93), Barnes (Gordon 66), Jacob Murphy (Elanga 66), Woltemade

Unused subs:

Ruddy, Willock, Ramsey, Neave, Alex Murphy

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