Premier League Preview: With Both Newcastle and Tottenham Advocating Attack-minded Football, Will They Combine for a Goal Fest?

At 20:30 on September 1st, the third round of the 2024/25 Premier League season will see Newcastle United host Tottenham Hotspur. After two rounds, Newcastle has 4 points with 1 win and 1 draw, temporarily ranking 6th in the league table. Tottenham also has 4 points with 1 win and 1 draw, currently sitting in 5th place.

In the previous round, Newcastle drew with Bournemouth with great difficulty. Tavernier’s goal gave Bournemouth the lead. Following this, Newcastle launched a desperate counterattack, with Gordon’s goal equalizing the score. In the subsequent period, Bournemouth regained control and scored another goal which was disallowed by the referee. Post-match footage showed that this decision was highly controversial, but the score could not be changed. Three days ago in the League Cup, Newcastle eliminated Nottingham Forest via penalties, with Tonali returning from suspension and starting the match. From the three games played so far this season, Newcastle’s defensive issues persist, with conceding goals from set-pieces becoming almost an insurmountable hurdle.

Tottenham was held to a 1-1 draw by promoted side Leicester City in their opening game, punished for repeatedly squandering chances. In the second match against Everton, Tottenham unleashed their firepower, with Bissouma scoring first, Son Heung-min netting twice, and Romero adding one more. Tottenham’s emphatic victory signaled their imminent return to form. With five goals scored in two games, the Tottenham of last season, who started off like a storm, seems to have returned. However, Postecoglou’s tactics often come at the cost of significant physical expenditure from the players. But a fully committed Tottenham is an opponent no team wants to face.

Newcastle did not go on a spending spree during the summer window, signing Hall for €33 million, Vlahovic Timotheos for €23.6 million, and Osula for €11.6 million. Clearly, the club is quite satisfied with its current squad. New signing Hall has already secured his place as the starting left-back, rewarding manager Howe’s trust with his performance. Tottenham, on the other hand, occasionally surprised fans during the summer window, especially with the €64.3 million signing of prolific striker Solanke from Bournemouth, making him the most expensive signing of the summer in the Premier League. Tottenham hopes Solanke can become a top scorer on par with former captain Kane.

Statistics show that the two teams have met 152 times, with Newcastle winning 53, drawing 29, and losing 70, slightly at a disadvantage. In the past five encounters, almost every match has been high-scoring. Last season, Tottenham thrashed Newcastle 4-1, and when Newcastle returned home, they repaid Tottenham with a 4-0 victory. The season before, Newcastle crushed Tottenham 6-1, and even earlier, Tottenham had trounced Newcastle 5-1. This is related to the attacking football both teams advocate. Committing heavily to attack naturally leaves the backline vulnerable. If unable to withstand the initial onslaught, a heavy defeat becomes likely. Thus, this match is very likely to be another goal fest.

The main referee for this match is Robert Jones, with VAR officiated by Stuart Attwell. Jones officiated 22 Premier League matches last season, issuing 99 yellow cards, 1 red card, and awarding 6 penalties. His lenient refereeing style benefits attacking teams like Newcastle and Tottenham, allowing them to complete fast transitions without interference and ensuring the fluidity of attacks.

Before the match, Newcastle manager Howe stated, “Willlock, who was injured in the League Cup, will undergo a second scan, and it appears to be a minor injury. Tonali’s return has helped the team, and he is happy to see the fans’ support for the Italian.” Judging from Tonali’s performance in the League Cup, he is expected to return to the starting lineup. Tottenham manager Postecoglou confirmed Solanke’s injury, believing the striker might return after the international break. Bentancur has recovered and has already resumed training with the team. Currently, the team has sufficient personnel reserves in all positions, allowing him to field different combinations based on situational changes, something unimaginable last season.

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