MY ACCOUNT
Tottenham roared to fourth in the Premier League with a 5-1 thumping of Newcastle United as Heung-Min Son scored one and created another.
Fabian Schar gave visitors Newcastle a first-half lead when he struck a free-kick past Hugo Lloris, but Ben Davies levelled within four minutes when he converted Son’s cross.
Antonio Conte’s home side required just three minutes of the second period to turn the game around as Matt Doherty’s header gave them the lead, before Son rifled home after 54 minutes and Emerson Royal added gloss with a 63rd-minute fourth. Steven Bergwijn made it a five-goal show for the hosts when he struck in the 83rd minute.
Spurs now sit fourth in the Premier League table, above local rivals Arsenal on goal difference, ahead of the Gunners facing Crystal Palace on Monday.
Harry Kane finished without a goal but was heavily involved. He shot wide of the bottom-left corner after 15 minutes, before Cristian Romero made a stunning block to deny Joe Willock at the other end.
The Magpies took a shock lead when Schar’s free-kick found the bottom-right corner after 39 minutes, with Lloris getting a weak hand to the ball on its way past him.
Spurs were soon level though, with Davies meeting Son’s left-wing cross to divert a superb glancing header past Martin Dubravka.
Having found the perfect response at the end of the first half, Tottenham made a superb start to the second, Doherty stooping to head home Kane’s cross at the back post after 48 minutes.
The much-improved hosts effectively ended the contest after 54 minutes, the impressive Son latching on to Kulusevksi’s right-footed cross before powering a close-range shot past Dubrakva.
Emerson stabbed home a close-range fourth shortly after the hour mark, before Son missed a glorious one-on-one chance after taking on Kane’s pass. Spurs still found time to add a fifth, with substitute Bergwijn slotting past Dubravka from Lucas Moura’s pass to complete the rout.
What does it mean? Spurs boost top-four hopes with quickfire turnaround
Four goals from the 43rd minute to the 63rd minute turned a difficult contest into a rampant win for Conte’s men, who have now won five of their last six league games.
Conte’s men have also scored two or more goals in each of the six matches, last doing so in more consecutive league games between February and April 2017 (a run of seven).
Son continues home hot streak
Son’s goal was his ninth in his last nine league outings at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, while his tally of 11 home goals cannot be matched by any other Premier League player this term.
This is the first campaign in which Son has ever reached double figures for home league goals, as the in-form South Korea international continues to play a crucial role in Spurs’ top-four charge.
Davies ends long drought with help from creative Son
Davies’ equaliser represented his first Premier League goal since September 2017 (against Huddersfield), and ended the Wales man’s run of 108 league appearances without netting.
Meanwhile, Son’s assist was his 45th in the Premier League, matching the tally Aaron Lennon managed for Spurs in the competition. Only Darren Anderton (68) and Christian Eriksen (62) now have more for the club.
Key Opta facts
– Tottenham are in the Premier League top four after 20-plus games for the first time since they finished fourth in 2018-19 under Mauricio Pochettino.
– Conte’s Spurs have gained 14 points from losing positions in the Premier League this season, now the most of any side. Conversely, Newcastle have dropped 24 points from leading positions in 2021-22, also now a league-high.
– Since Conte’s first league game in charge of Tottenham in November, only Liverpool and Manchester City (both 50) have earned more points in the Premier League than Spurs (39).
– Newcastle have lost each of their last three Premier League games, their joint-longest run of the season in the league (also three in a row in December).
– This was the biggest Premier League win by a side that conceded the game’s opening goal since Spurs themselves defeated Manchester United 6-1 in October 2020.
– Since the first Premier League match at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in April 2019, Son has been directly involved in 44 goals at the ground for Spurs in the division (27 goals, 17 assists); only Mo Salah at Anfield (48 – 36 goals, 12 assists) has had a hand in more goals at a single venue in the competition in this time.
– Kulusevski is the first player to make five or more assists in his first 10 Premier League matches while aged 21 or younger since Eden Hazard in 2012.
What’s next?
Tottenham’s next Premier League outing sees them travel to Aston Villa for an early evening kick-off next Saturday, while Newcastle will host Wolves on Friday.
