Mike Ashley sees both sides of Steve Bruce's Newcastle United

This fixture’s often brought the best out of Newcastle United.
Jonjo Shelvey is booked for a foul on Giovani Lo Celso.Jonjo Shelvey is booked for a foul on Giovani Lo Celso.
Jonjo Shelvey is booked for a foul on Giovani Lo Celso.

That wasn’t the case for 90 minutes this afternoon, yet the club somehow left the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with a point from a 1-1 draw after a dramatic few minutes of added time.

Fortunately, Gareth Bale wasn’t playing – Tottenham Hotspur’s loan signing was among a handful of spectators – but there was more than enough talent in Jose Mourinho’s side to keep the visitors on the back foot for most of the game.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

And Tottenham should have been out of sight by the time substitute Andy Carroll headed down Jonjo Shelvey free-kick on to Eric Dier’s arm.

Callum Wilson celebrates his penalty.Callum Wilson celebrates his penalty.
Callum Wilson celebrates his penalty.

But thanks to goalkeeper Karl Darlow – along with the woodwork, some wayward finishing and some dogged determination – they were still in the game when referee Peter Bankes pointed to the spot following a lengthy VAR and pitchside monitor check.

Callum Wilson converted the resulting the penalty home to claim a point for his team, and Tottenham and Jose Mourinho – who had described himself as a “little magpie” before the game – were left incensed.

Steve Bruce, already without Allan Saint-Maximin through injury, had also left Ryan Fraser behind on Tyneside because of a sore groin.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Miguel Almiron, Joelinton and Matt Ritchie came into Bruce’s starting XI at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where Newcastle won 1-0 last season. That afternoon the goal came from Joelinton. Newcastle didn’t manage a shot on target from open play on their second visit to the ground.

Bruce switched to a five-man defence, and it looked like being a long afternoon for Newcastle early in the game. Darlow stopped a free-kick from Giovani Lo Celso – and a follow-up shot from Harry Kane.

Darlow, finally getting a run of Premier League games with Martin Dubravka sidelined, denied Kane again minutes later. Newcastle just couldn’t keep hold of the ball, and Bruce’s side spent much of the first 20 minutes pinned back in their own half.

Darlow couldn’t do anything about anything about Tottenham’s 25th-minute opener, a tap-in at the far post from Lucas Moura after Newcastle failed to deal with a ball from Kane across the face of goal.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Tottenham pressed on. Son Heung-min struck the woodwork twice, and Dier put a free header wide. Somehow, Newcastle went into the break only a goal down.

Bruce kept the same personnel and system for the second half, and it was the same story. United had players strung out across the pitch as Tottenham prodded and probed looking for a second goal. At the other end of the pitch, Wilson hardly touched the ball.

Matt Ritchie left the field with an injury after colliding with Matt Doherty – he was replaced by Jamal Lewis – and Bruce switched to a back four.

Jacob Murphy and Andy Carroll followed Lewis on to the pitch. And Carroll played his part when he headed Shelvey’s free-kick down on to Dier. Carroll, looking for the first goal of his second spell at United, wanted to take the penalty.

Bruce, however, insisted that Wilson take it – and the striker made it count.