Tottenham vs Newcastle: Tonali Faces Former Club on Spurs Home Debut
Tottenham’s record signing (£100m), Sandro Tonali, makes his home debut against his former club. After a poor and disappointing display away to Brentford, with many first-team players missing, Spurs will be hoping for a much better performance in front of a home crowd filled with cautious ambition and expectation ahead of the 2026/27 season.
Tottenham won just three times at home last season, which is simply unacceptable in a stadium that cost over £1 billion and was built to get them to the ‘next level’.
This season, after two back-to-back 17th-place finishes, Spurs must improve their home form. De Zerbi has dismissed claims that the home atmosphere or modern venue has contributed to Spurs’ poor home form.
After De Zerbi kept Spurs up, he said the emotions he felt as the fans welcomed his team “will be a great memory for all my life.”
Now, Spurs seem more together as a club; they have a clean slate, a great manager with fresh ideas, and a brand-new team with eight players after spending upwards of £350 million unheard of during Daniel Levy’s reign.
No doubt there is optimism that Spurs can push on and have a good season, particularly with no midweek European football, but they surely need a positive result against Newcastle, or familiar questions will be raised once again.
Their opponents, Newcastle, are unbeaten in their last six against the Lilywhites, with five wins in that period, including a 2–1 win last time out at N17.
However, this will be a vastly different outfit to the team that battled to a 2–1 win in February. The Magpies’ head coach, Eddie Howe, left the club in the summer on the back of losing two key players in Tonali and Anthony Gordon and having been informed the club were going to sanction a move for skipper Bruno Guimaraes.
The club have been very active in the transfer market, adding six new players, including a £52 million move for Manchester City midfielder Nico Gonzalez, regarded as a coup by insiders at the club.
Nico Gonzalez could be in line for his debut against Tottenham as Jaissle looks to build off the back of a spirited performance in the opening game against Liverpool, followed by a first win for the German in the EFL Cup against West Bromwich Albion.
Jaissle will be buoyed by what he has seen in the first two games, not least in the form of Amar Dedic, who added two assists against the Baggies in midweek following an assist on the opening day against Liverpool.
Team News
Pedro Porro, World Cup winner with Spain, is set to start alongside new Spurs captain Micky van de Ven.
Robertson is expected to retain his place despite competition from the returning Destiny Udogie.
New signing Savio should make his Premier League debut after his first Spurs goal against Charlton in the League Cup.
Another signing from Manchester City, Omar Marmoush, will start on the bench and boasts a great goalscoring record against Newcastle.
Richarlison has been linked with a move away recently, and with Solanke back to full fitness, he will lead the line for Spurs.
Newcastle will set up to contain Tottenham away from home, aiming to punish Tottenham in transition with the pace they have in attack.
However, Jaissle will face a selection dilemma up top, where the injured Osula will likely force a change of shape for Jaissle, either in the form of Woltemade up front or moving Yoanne Wissa, who impressed in the opening fixture with a Man of the Match display in the 10, further forward.
On the wings, Elanga and Barnes provide pace and directness.
Predicted Line-ups
Tottenham (4-3-3): Kinsky, Porro, Van Hecke, Van de Ven, Robertson, Tonali, Bentancur, Fernandes, Savio, Tel, Solanke.
Newcastle (4-2-3-1): Hornicek, Dedic, Thiaw, Botman, Hall, Miley, Gonzalez, Elanga, Willock, Barnes, Wissa.
Comments