Key Takeaways
Newcastle United face key injury concerns, including Joe Willock.
Spurs deal with defensive challenges ahead of gameweek three.
Sandro Tonali could make first full start for Newcastle since October.
Gameweek three of the Premier League season looks set to be a good one, with Sunday, in particular having some terrific games on offer. As well as the highly-anticipated derby between Manchester United and Liverpool, Spurs, fresh off a dominant 4-0 victory over Everton, visit St James' Park to take on a Newcastle side which seems to be slightly struggling in front of goal.
The Magpies were limited to a 1-1 draw away at the Vitality Stadium against AFC Bournemouth in gameweek two and will have come away from the game feeling very fortunate due to Dango Ouattara's goal being controversially ruled out due to a handball.
Spurs couldn't have had a better start to their home league campaign as they breezed past Everton 4-0. Ange Postecoglou's men dominated for large parts of the game and were clinical in taking their chances with Heung-Min Son scoring a double, centre-back Cristian Romero getting on the scoresheet and Yves Bissouma scoring one of the goals of the season so far.
Newcastle Team News
Willock injury adds to growing list at St James' Park
It was not all positive for Newcastle following their win on penalties to advance to the third round of the Carabao Cup. Joe Willock, the man who scored Newcastle's only open-play goal of the game after just 20 seconds, was forced off after just 15 minutes due to what seems to be a thigh injury.
Willock, who just managed nine appearances in the Premier League last season will be devastated if his injury turns out to be a serious one as he will be looking for a way back into a Newcastle side which is looking stacked in the middle of the park, especially after Sandro Tonali is now available for selection following his ban.
The Magpies, despite just being three games into their season, are missing quite a few key players through injury, with Sven Botman, Callum Wilson and Lewis Miley being the most noteworthy absences. Defender, Fabian Schar also misses out through suspension. Newcastle remain linked with Crystal Palace and England international defender, Marc Guehi in the latter stages of the window but it seems like if any deal is to be done, he won't be signed in time to face Spurs.
Newcastle Predicted XI
Tonali handed his first Premier League start since October
After getting himself 90 minutes in Carabao Cup competition against Nottingham Forest, Lewis Hall could see himself return to the starting lineup to face Spurs. Eddie Howe favoured Lloyd Kelly in the left-back role for Newcastle's trip to Bournemouth but Hall took his place after 69 minutes.
Elsewhere for Newcastle, Sandro Tonali could be handed his first Premier League start in almost a year as he is now eligible for selection following his betting ban. The Italian midfielder who signed from AC Milan for £55m last summer played just over an hour in the Magpies' second-round Carabao Cup tie and could take the place of Sean Longstaff in midfield, who despite being consistent for Newcastle as of late, will naturally play a backup role once all of Newcastle's players are fully fit.
Eddie Howe could also reshuffle his front three. Alexander Isak will of course keep his place, but an opportunity could open up for Harvey Barnes to nail down a spot in the starting 11 for Newcastle. Barnes, who came off the bench against Bournemouth and provided an assist, could find himself in the starting lineup given Newcastle's current, underwhelming options on the right wing of Jacob Murphy and Miguel Almiron. Barnes coming into the starting lineup could see Anthony Gordon switch wings to play out on the right as he has done in the past.
Spurs Team News
Ange Postecoglu could be hit with a big defensive blow
Despite Spurs having a pretty good start to the season with a positive performance which only saw them take a point away to Leicester and an emphatic 4-0 win against Everton, Ange Postecoglou finds himself facing some big adversity just three games into the season as his brand-new, big money signing, Dominic Solanke has been hit with an ankle injury and Micky van de Ven who has been brilliant since joining the club for £45m last season, could now miss out due to a knee injury.
As well as injuries to Solanke and van de Ven, Postecoglu will also be without Rodrigo Bentancur, who remains out due to concussion protocol for a nasty collision he was involved in during Spurs' opener against Leicester City which rendered him unconscious.
Italian left-back Destiny Udogie was brought off after 73 minutes against Everton due to tiredness in his hamstrings and calves and Postecoglou has admitted that Udogie was also dealing with some tiredness and soreness in the first game of the season so it still remains to be seen if the Italian will be eligible to face the Magpies and they can continue to build his fitness.
Other than that, unless there is a last-minute surge of transfer activity from Spurs which could see a few incomings be eligible for this game, there is no other team news to be covered.
Spurs Predicted XI
Spurs could be forced into significant defensive changes
Ange Postecoglou could be forced into some significant changes in his back line, in particular, the left side. With Micky van de Ven potentially out, Radu Dragusin could see himself back in the starting lineup. Despite Destiny Udogie suffering some tiredness in his calves and hamstrings in the opening two Premier League games, he should be good to go which will be a boost for both himself and Postecoglou.
Other than Dragusin coming in for van de Ven, Postecoglou could make one other change, that being Pape Sarr coming in for Spurs' new man, Wilson Odobert, who made his debut for Tottenham last weekend. The Frenchman was replaced by Sarr just over an hour into the game against Everton and due to the intensity and pace of the game between Spurs and Newcastle could be played at, Postecoglu could favour the high energy and aggression of Sarr, over the skill and luxury of Odobert.