Our best performance of 2026 and a much-needed win that might just keep our Premier League season alive, as Newcastle United were great value for all three points at Tottenham Hotspur tonight.
We perhaps should’ve won more comfortably and it looked like we might’ve thrown it away in the second half as Archie Gray equalised, but goals either side from Malick Thiaw and Jacob Ramsey secured a huge three points for Eddie Howe’s Mags.
The result ends our run of five games without a win, sending us back into the top half on 36 points, and the performance was so much better in all departments, with the team reacting to last weekend’s stinker with a display full of energy, fight and intent.
Howe made FOUR changes from Saturday’s 3-2 defeat to Brentford. The good news was Anthony Gordon’s return, the bad news was Lewis Miley’s absence, and the surprise news saw Dan Burn start at left-back, with Lewis Hall benched (fatigue?) and 35-year-old Kieran Trippier starting his fourth game in 10 days.
A far from ideal pairing at full-back, Ramsey returning in midfield, Elanga on the right and Gordon in the false nine role, with Tonali, Murphy and Wissa all dropping to the bench after poor displays last weekend.
Newcastle XI: Pope – Trippier, Thiaw, Botman, Burn – Willock, Guimaraes, Ramsey – Elanga, Gordon, Barnes.
Substitutes: Ramsdale, Hall, Tonali, Wissa, Osula, J.Murphy, Woltemade, A.Murphy, Shahar
Spurs XI: Vicario – Gray, Dragusin, Van de Ven, Spence – Bissouma, Sarr, Gallagher – Odobert, Solanke, Simons.
Speaking to TNT before the game, Eddie Howe asked for a fast start, a show of intent, fight and enthusiasm from his team – and that’s what he got for much of the first 45.
We made uch a positive start, forcing early set pieces that saw Dragusin almost put through his own net and Botman header over, but we looked open at the other end, with Burn and Trippier’s lack of pace exposed early on by Odobert and Simons.
It was anything but tight and cagey, and soon went close again, as Willock fired a low shot inches wide after some neat passing before Elanga’s low cross was flicked on goal by Barnes; but too close to Vicario. Promising signs, but we had to make our bright start count.
Willock looked bright, Elanga was a constant out-ball down our right, we were committing men in the box and looked sharp and front-footed in possession, moving the ball quickly and wasting not time in getting at an out of sorts Spurs side who barely had a kick in the opening 15 minutes.
The next chance came Ramsey’s way, although his effort from Burn’s knockdown was not struck cleanly, deflecting out for our sixth corner of the game after 20 minutes. 7-0 was the corner count, we’d had 64% possession, five shots to their one, but the score remained 0-0 despite our total dominance.
The game went flat for a period after a long stoppage for Odobert’s injury, and just as we thought our breakthrough moment had come, a quick break, Bruno through ball and emphatic Willock finish was chalked off by the most marginal of offside calls from VAR.
Five minutes of first half stoppage time was signalled and we didn’t let the offside setback deter us. Willock whipped in a cross, Thiaw had a thumping header saved, then reacted first to force home the rebound. 1-0 Newcastle and this one stood!
Newcastle are not to be denied, and it’s Malick Thiaw who gives them the lead! 💥
Vicario keeps out his 1st header, but can’t do anything to stop the rebound, and the Magpies go 1-0 up!
Live on @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/IGZgg7B0Hh
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 10, 2026
We started the second half like we ended the first; on top and the only side who looked like scoring. Ramsey had two openings blocked, a flurry of corners made it 11-0 Newcastle in that department and there were two penalty shouts waved away as both Elanga and Willock went down in the box.
For all of our good work, we should’ve been at least 3-0 up and still had so much work to do, with a reminder of our marginal lead coming as Tel fired over and Sarr forced Pope into his first save of the match with a wicked strike from range.
Then, with Spurs’ first corner (after our 11), we were pegged back. A corner to the back post, Pope was all at sea, Sarr headed back across goal and Gray fired into an unguarded goal. 1-1 and we were suddenly back level in a game we should’ve been winning by two or three. But we weren’t level for long!
Gordon twisted and turned, broke into the box and set up Ramsey, who guided a first-time finish into the far corner. His first goal at Newcastle United, a lovely finish, 2-1 Newcastle and pure bedlam in the away end as every outfield player celebrated in front of the travelling Toon Army.
WHAT AN ASSIST 🤩
Amazing feet from Anthony Gordon and he puts it on a plate for Jacob Ramsey who puts Newcastle back into the lead!
Live on @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/owdBl5VWID
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 10, 2026
Howe then made two changes with 75 minutes on the clock, seeing Jacob Murphy and Sandro Tonali replace summer signings Elanga and Ramsey; a pair who had been full of energy and intent all afternoon, with Ramsey particularly impressive after bags of great work on and off the ball.
No side in the league had conceded more goals this season in the last 15 minutes than Newcastle (14), and no side had dropped more points from a winning positions (19), making the closing stages tough to watch as we sat deep and invited pressure, giving a frankly awful Spurs side one last chance to put u under some late pressure.
Nick Woltemade and Will Osula came on to replace Gordon and Willock, giving us one last injection of energy up top heading into extra time, then Bruno Guimaraes was forced off after trying his best to play through a clear problem, taking a yellow card before Lewis Hall came on in the captain’s place.
Six minutes were added on, just as Spurs fans sang ‘sacked in the morning’ at Thomas Frank, and Newcastle just about hung on despite late chances for Solank and Van de Ven, securing a huge and well deserved three points in the first of four-straight away games.
Next up, an FA Cup trip to Aston Villa on Saturday before a Champions League play-off clash away to Qarabag next Wednesday as the fixtures continue to come thick and fast.
Keep the faith. Howay the lads!
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