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Michael Owen with double prediction for Tottenham v Newcastle United

5 years ago
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Michael Owen has been looking forward to Sunday’s match at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium.

I must admit I had to look it up before I wrote that as it hadn’t registered we me what they’d called the new ground, doesn’t sound very catchy does it?

However, it is a new and impressive looking stadium for Newcastle fans and all 3,000 away tickets have been sold amongst the overall 60,000 sellout.

Michael Owen predicted a draw for Newcastle at Norwich last weekend and hopefully he is equally wrong on this occasion.

Owen has actually made a double prediction for this game.

He thinks Tottenham will win very comfortably and Newcastle won’t score a goal.

Difficult to argue with that on what we have seen so far.

Arsenal’s keeper didn’t have a proper save to make and Norwich’s keeper didn’t make a save on Saturday, the only serious shot eluding him in the final seconds when Jonjo Shelvey got a goal that was no consolation.

Of the Newcastle players remaining from last season, collectively they only scored 15 of the 42 Premier league goals scored in 2018/19 and of those the top scorers are/were Schar (four) and Clark (three).

Steve Bruce desperately needs players to step up and take responsibility, with a particularly heavy weight of pressure on Joelinton already. Almiron hasn’t scored so far either since arriving from Atlanta United and NUFC need both to score ASAP to get the confidence flowing, especially when it is anybody’s guess at to when Gayle and Carroll will be available.

From the 2003/04 season onwards, Newcastle have played away 15 times (all competitions) at Tottenham, winning five and Spurs victorious in the other 10. In the five games won Newcastle have scored 10 goals but in the 10 they’ve lost, there has only been the one goal and that was from Gouffran when NUFC lost 2-1 in 2012/13. So looking for positives, if we can get a goal then the stats say we could/should win, although they also say that any defeat is likely to be as Michael Owen predicts, without Newcastle scoring.

A tough game ahead after Spurs came from behind to beat Villa 3-1 and then got an excellent 2-2 draw away at Man City.

A massive Premier League game follows this one with Newcastle home to Watford (before then playing Liverpool away) in 10 days time and whilst I wouldn’t take a credible narrow defeat at this point against Tottenham, it would certainly be worrying if Newcastle took a hiding in this Spurs game.

As well as needing to tighten it up at the back, Newcastle desperately need a spark going forward and leaders all over the pitch to take responsibility. Especially after Norwich where the team collectively appeared to give up once the second goal went in.

The number of chances created in the first three hours of football in Steve Bruce’s reign have been minimal but as Michael Owen points out, the likes of Joelinton can’t afford to pass up ones like that free header from seven yards at Norwich when the game was goalless.

Michael Owen speaking to Betvictor:

“Spurs rode their luck at the Etihad at the weekend but played their part in a wonderful game of football.

“And I expect them to have too much quality for a Newcastle side who have disappointed me so far this season.

“The Magpies need more from their expensive signings Joelinton – who spurned a gilt-edged opportunity at Carrow Road and Miquel Almiron but they may need more time to gel.

“In the meantime, I can’t see anything other than a comfortable home win.

“Tip: Spurs to win to nil 20/21”

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