Tottenham on worst Premier League run since 2008 as Isak closes in on Newcastle legend – teams and talkSPORT commentary

01/04/2025 08:05 AM

Tottenham will be looking to end their dismal form in the Premier League when they host Newcastle this afternoon, live on talkSPORT. 

Spurs have only won one of their last seven in the league and following a draw against Wolves last time out, they're sitting 11th in the table.

Ange Postecoglou's side are winless in their last five top-flight home games too, which is their longest run since between March and October 2008. 

They will be desperate to end that streak and move up the table but there's hardly a tougher task than facing Newcastle right now. 

The Toon have won four straight games without conceding, scoring 13 goals in the process and saw off Manchester United at Old Trafford last time out.

Tottenham vs Newcastle: Alexander the Great

Alexander Isak is closing in on the record of a Newcastle icon. 

The Swedish striker just can't stop scoring, finding the net in six straight Premier League games. 

He's scored eight and assisted two in that time as well, taking his goal tally for the season up to 12 in 17 appearances. 

Isak's form this campaign has seen him become Newcastle's fourth all-time top goalscorer in the Premier League and he's now eyeing third. 

Toon legend Peter Beardsley scored 46 in the competition and Isak sits on 43, meaning he's likely to jump above Beardsley in the record books soon. 

Callum Wilson is second in the club's standings with 47, so the 25-year-old looks set to climb up to second in the records for Newcastle. 

All-time top scorer Alan Shearer's tally is uncatchable though, with his 148 goals leaving him in the clear. 

• Tottenham have won two of their last three Premier League home games against Newcastle (L1), as many as they had in their previous seven (D1 L4).
• Newcastle have won four of their last five Premier League games against Tottenham (L1), as many as they had in their previous 15 (D2 L9).
• Having achieved a Premier League double over Spurs in just one of 12 campaigns between 2008-09 and 2021-22 (2015-16), Newcastle could now do so in two of the last three (also 2022-23).

Tottenham vs Newcastle: Teams

Tottenham XI: Austin; Porro, Dragusin, Gray, Spence; Bergvall, Sarr; Johnson, Kulusevski, Werner; Solanke.

Subs: Whiteman, Reguilon, Dorrington, Hardy, Bissouma, Maddison, Olusesi, Son, Lankshear.

Newcastle XI: Dubravka; Livramento, Botman, Burn, Hall; Tonali, Guimaraes, Joelinton; Murphy, Isak, Gordon.

Subs: Vlachodimos, Trippier, Barnes, Osula, Almirón, Kelly, Willock, Longstaff, Miley

• Tottenham have lost their first league game in two of the last five calendar years (W2 D1), as many times as they had in the previous 16 years combined (W11 D3).
• Newcastle have won their first league match in just one of the last 12 calendar years (D3 L8), winning 1-0 at Stoke on New Year's Day 2018.

Tottenham vs Newcastle: What has been said? 

Postecoglou is hoping that his side can turn a corner soon, with Tottenham struggling and dealing with injuries. 

"It's still fairly tight,” he said. “I just feel that at some point we'll get a relatively healthy squad and when we do that, we'll be able to perform at a high level consistently. 

"We've already shown this year we can beat anyone. There's a chance there you can go on a run, but at the moment that's secondary to the first bit. 

"I can see how hard they're trying and if we were at our sharpest, we would have got that third goal and maybe a fourth [against Wolves].

"I mean we were inches away at times from getting the goal we needed and I think we're just lacking a little bit of that dynamic movement that we need. 

"A lot of these guys, they're finding some form of energy to still be out there trying, but you know we're certainly not as sharp as we can be."

• Brennan Johnson is Tottenham's top scorer in all competitions this season with 11 goals, while the Welshman has also either scored (2) or assisted (2) a goal in each of his last four Premier League home games.
• Anthony Gordon has been directly involved in a goal in each of his last four Premier League appearances for Newcastle United (1 goal, 3 assists), assisting in each of his last two away games against Ipswich and Man Utd.

Tottenham vs Newcastle: talkSPORT coverage 

This Premier League clash will take place on Saturday, January 4. 

Kick-off at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is scheduled for 12:30pm. 

talkSPORT will have EXCLUSIVE live coverage of the game presented by Reshmin Chowdhury. 

Commentary will come from Sam Matterface and former England captain Stuart Pearce. 

To tune in to talkSPORT or talkSPORT 2 through the website, click HERE for the live stream. 

You can also listen via the talkSPORT app, on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.

Check out all the best free bets and betting offers from talkSPORT and our partners