Newcastle United take on Tottenham Hotspur in a blockbuster Premier League clash on Matchday 3 of the 2024/25 season. Here is a preview
The new season is an opportunity for new stories to be written as various clubs battle for their targets in a brand-new campaign. Newcastle, who finished seventh in the Premier League last term will host Tottenham who finished fifth as they qualified for the Europa League.
Both clubs will hence be eager to make a good impression this season, and this early encounter will be a test of their readiness to compete.
They last met in a controversial post-season friendly at the 100,000-capacity Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia in May, just three days after playing their final league game of the campaign. That encounter ended 5-4 in favour of Newcastle on penalties after a 1-1 draw, but their most recent competitive meeting was a 4-nil victory for Newcastle at home.
Interestingly, this fixture has been a high-scoring affair with four of the last five fixtures seeing at least four goals scored. Newcastle will also be pleased to have put ten goals past Spurs in the last two engagements at St. James’ Park, conceding only once.
The Magpies have enjoyed a fantastic rise in fortunes since a consortium led by the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund became majority owners in late 2021.
Significant investment in the club followed and by the end of the following season, Newcastle had sealed qualification to the UEFA Champions League for the first time in 20 years. However, they were eliminated from the Group of Death that included the likes of AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and eventual finalists Borussia Dortmund.
After an injury crisis disrupted their campaign due to the increased schedule of matches, Eddie Howe’s side still ended last season on a high by defeating Brentford 4-2 away from home to tentatively secure a spot in the 2024/25 Europa Conference League. Nevertheless, Manchester United’s FA Cup win meant they automatically qualified for the Europa League from eighth while the Geordies completely lost their Conference League spot.
Newcastle will now prepare for the new season with friendlies against Hull City, Urawa Reds, Yokohama F. Marinos, Girona and Brest before they open their Premier League campaign at home against newly promoted Southampton on 17 August. They will also travel to Bournemouth before hosting Tottenham on Matchday 3 so there is a high chance they will have built up some momentum.
Tottenham, for their part, enjoyed a renaissance last term as Ange Postecoglou’s appointment had a galvanizing effect on the playing style and thus the mood of the fans. Their attractive brand of football wowed supporters and impressed neutrals as they went unbeaten for the first three months of the campaign.
Although they fell off due to injuries and suspension to key players in crucial parts of the season, Tottenham concluded the campaign with a 3-0 victory over relegated Sheffield United which guaranteed Europa League football for this season.
Expectations have risen for 2024/25 and they must live up to those standards set under their Australian manager. Spurs have got their pre-season programme underway with a comprehensive 5-1 win against Scottish outfit Hearts.
Their next pre-season friendly takes place against Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road, before they face Vissel Kobe, K-League XI and Bayern Munich twice before their Premier League opener against Leicester City. The Lilywhites will have hosted Everton before travelling to the North East where they have struggled on their last two visits.
Indeed, they must be ready to withstand the psychological warfare that will come from the home crowd, as well as the physical barrage of intense pressing from their opponents.
Match tickets
This Premier League fixture is scheduled to take place on Sunday, 1 September 2024 at 1:30 PM. Match tickets are available for sale on the website of each club but priority will be given to ticket holders and club members.
The spectacular St James’ Park is the venue for this encounter and there will certainly be a fantastic atmosphere in the 52,305-capacity stadium. It is set to be a packed house given this is only Newcastle’s second home game of the season, and Spurs fans will also be making their presence felt.
Any supporters making the long trip up north must secure their seats early so we urge them to find Newcastle vs Tottenham tickets on a resale site.
Team news
Newcastle would welcome back Sandro Tonali after his long-term ban from competitive football for betting expires at the end of August.
The Italian will feel like a new signing, but Newcastle are still looking for a new forward in the summer transfer window as Callum Wilson and Alexander Isak have both been linked with moves elsewhere while the team needs depth in the position. Karim Adeyemi is an interesting target for his ability to play across the front line.
The Magpies may also have to fight to keep their manager as Eddie Howe is being linked with the vacant England manager’s job.
Spurs have been quite passive in terms of incomings ahead of the new season but they retain interest in Conor Gallagher whose future is set to be decided in the coming weeks. Chelsea want between £40million to £50million for the midfielder but their rivals are confident they can secure a deal for around £30m.
Tottenham are also in need of an attacker and have previously shown interest in Santiago Gimenez as well as Karim Adeyemi.
Line-ups
Newcastle are keen to keep the in-demand duo of Alexander Isak and Bruno Guimaraes and they will be glad to have them feature in this game a couple of days after the summer transfer window shuts.
Newcastle: Pope; Trippier, Schar, Burn, Hall; Tonali, Guimaraes, Joelinton; Almiron, Isak, Barnes
As for Tottenham, Cristian Romero and Giovani Lo Celso will have returned from their extended break after winning the Copa America with Argentina. Lo Celso, who set up Lautaro Martinez’s winning goal in the final, may have already departed Spurs given he has been linked with a switch to Aston Villa.
Tottenham: Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Udogie; Bissouma, Sarr; Johnson, Maddison, Kulusevski; Son
Prediction
It is difficult to envisage which side will come out on top, as it remains to be seen what both teams will look like after the transfer window. What can be guaranteed, though, is an intense encounter between two attacking teams.
A high-scoring encounter awaits.
Newcastle 3-1 Tottenham