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Michael Owen makes three predictions for Newcastle v Tottenham

3 years ago
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Michael Owen has been looking ahead to Sunday afternoon at St James Park.

Newcastle United up against Tottenham in a key match for both clubs.

Whilst parts of the media are still happy to call Newcastle fans deluded when it comes to anger and frustration due to the absolute mess at their club, that same media is also happy to talk about and not challenge why a lot of Spurs fans are calling for Jose Mourinho to be replaced.

A perfect example as to how twisted the media have become in terms of how they choose to portray certain fanbases compared to others.

Michael Owen has made three predictions that he believes will come out of this match:

Steve Bruce will extend his run to two victories in twenty one matches, meaning Newcastle will drop into the relegation zone, if Fulham win at Villa.

Jose Mourinho will make it five wins in the last six Tottenham Premier League matches, which would take Spurs top four if other results also went their way.

Harry Kane to score at least once and move to within less that 100 goals behind Alan Shearer’s all-time Premier League record (Kane is currently on 160 compared to Shearer’s 260 – although of course the top man also scored 23 top tier goals for Southampton before it was rebranded as the Premier League).

We all know Alan Shearer is still the undisputed Premier League’s greatest striker of the era…but no disputing that Harry Kane is looking a live contender.

This season he (Harry Kane) is currently the PL’s top scorer with 17 goals (equal with Mo Salah) from 27 appearances and after scoring in both England wins he captained in the international fortnight, it will be a surprise if he doesn’t keep on scoring against what Steve Bruce has turned into one of the worst defences in the Premier League. Under Rafa Benitez, both seasons in the PL saw only six clubs each year concede less goals than Newcastle, as things stand this season, outside the bottom two only Southampton (who conceded nine in one game to Man Utd) have conceded more than Newcastle.

Indeed, things are also woeful this season when it comes to Newcastle scoring goals and that is when the likes of ASM, Wilson and Almiron are playing, as well as when they aren’t. Only 28 goals scored in 29 PL matches so far.

Although to be fair, just like his results record of only two wins in twenty games, Steve Bruce has also managed to make a very poor goalscoring return even worse.

In the last 18 games (all competitions) since 19 December 2020, Newcastle have scored 11 goals, Harry Kane alone has scored 12 in that same time period for Tottenham.

When you analyse these games over the past four months, you get to see just how shockingly poor Steve Bruce’s attacking ‘plan’ is…

These last 18 NUFC matches seeing the following number of goals:

Zero goals – 10 times

One goal – 6 times

Two goals – 1 time

Three goals – 1 time

When you consider those last two came about only because Southampton had the worst defensive 45 minutes imaginable and Callum Wilson scored an incredible header (turning an average corner into a goal, with a brilliant header from some 15 yards out) and then a breakaway goal in the 93rd minute when Everton were throwing everything at an equaliser…

Taking this info into account above, you would be being very optimistic if you think Newcastle will score even one goal, against a team who are sixth at the moment and potentially heading top four. As for Steve Bruce’s team scoring two goals or more, that would surely be the stuff of dreams!

When you add in other relevant factors:

Tottenham have conceded the third lowest number of goals in the Premier League

Spurs have failed to score in only five of twenty nine PL matches

Spurs have failed to score in only two of fifteen away PL games

Callum Wilson won’t start

ASM almost certainly won’t start

Joelinton will start…

Not exactly evening things up but at least a crumb of comfort, Newcastle have scored in all of their last six home PL matches since a 0-0 draw with Liverpool at the end of 2020, apart from the Southampton match it was only one goal in each of the other five, but beggars can’t be choosers, at least not when you have Mike Ashley and Steve Bruce in charge.

For Newcastle United to win this match and prove Michael Owen (and 99% of Newcastle fans!) wrong, I think we need two things to happen.

The team to somehow score two goals, with Martin Dubravka and his defence limiting Spurs to only one goal (I can’t see them not scoring at least the one).

The odds are very much against it (Newcastle are as high as 5/1 with the bookies) happening and the visitors are odds on to win (Harry Kane also odds on with the bookies to score at least one).

One thing is for sure though.

If Steve Bruce and his players put on the same kind of lame ultra negative tactics (NUFC only 25% possession in the first half) and feeble performance as they did last time out in the 3-0 defeat at Brighton, Sunday at St James Park will surely see an even worse humiliation for Bruce and his players, with Harry Kane making serious inroads into that 100 goals gap that remains to Alan Shearer.

Michael Owen talking to BetVictor:

“It is six games without a win for Newcastle, with a thumping 3-0 defeat to Brighton last time out.

The Geordies are in dire need of a result.

“However, they will have to be at their best against a Spurs side.

“Who despite their slip-ups, are still chasing a top four finish.

“Harry Kane was amongst the goals during the international break, and if he continues in a similar vein, I could see the England captain playing a big part in an away win.

“Predictions – Newcastle 1 Tottenham 2 and Harry Kane to score at least one goal.”

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