Geordie Boot Boys - Newcastle United F.C. News

Tottenham Hotspur are enduring an injury crisis similar to Newcastle United’s last season.

During Newcastle’s 2023/24 campaign, they had a slew of injuries and Sandro Tonali’s suspension to deal with which hindered their form.

It’s a thing of the past for Eddie Howe though who has his squad thriving at the moment. Newcastle’s win against Aston Villa on Thursday was a sign that any poor form earlier in the season has been forgotten as the Magpies made it three Premier League wins in a row.

After Monday’s game against Manchester United, who have Bruno Fernandes and Manuel Ugarte suspended – Newcastle take on Tottenham, who haven’t exactly been in dazzling form themselves.

It feels like the perfect time for Newcastle to play them as they’ve now lost two games on the spin to Liverpool and Nottingham Forest – teams the Geordies have had positive results against this season.

Now, Spurs boss Ange Postecoglu has confirmed more injury woes ahead of Newcastle’s visit to the capital.

Ange Postecoglou confirms Ben Davies and Radu Dragusin setbacks

The Spurs boss spoke ahead of their game against Wolves on Sunday which was aired on Tottenham’s website where he provided an injury update.

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The Australian confirmed that left-back Ben Davies and defender Radu Dragusin have both picked up knocks.

“(Davies) is ruled out,” he said.

“Unfortunately, he had a setback in training, so he’s probably out for another couple of weeks.”

On Dragusin, he said: ‘It’s a bit early to tell; he tweaked his ankle (against Forest) and felt like he couldn’t continue, so we’ll have to wait and see. We’ll wait until he gets in (for training) and assess him from there.”

As well as Davies and with Dragusin looking doubtful, Spurs will definitely be without Micky van de Ven, Christian Romero and Guglielmo Vicario meaning they’re without most of their usual back four. Former Newcastle goalkeeper Fraser Forster is currently playing in net for Spurs during Vicario’s absence.

Although suspended for the game against Wolves, Djed Spence will be available for the game against Newcastle.

Newcastle United also have injuries

Despite their good form, Newcastle are still without some key players going into the games against Man United and Spurs.

Sven Botman is still yet to return to Newcastle’s first-team. That is even with Botman playing 60 minutes for Newcastle’s under-21s earlier in December.

Jamaal Lascelles is due back in early February, like Botman he suffered an ACL injury in March which has kept him out ever since.

Emil Krafth is currently out with a broken collarbone but is back running doing non-contact training and Tino Livramento missed the win against Aston Villa due to illness but Howe has confirmed that he should return for the trip to Old Trafford.

Newcastle United will be desperate to strengthen in the January transfer window, but it remains to be seen as to how much business they can do.

Eddie Howe has some PSR issues to worry about in January, which could make things difficult at Newcastle, with little money to spend.

Harvey Barnes is one of the players being linked with an exit, but it remains to be seen as to whether the club would actually sanction a sale.

Newcastle United currently find themselves in 12th position with improvements desperately needed, as European hopes slowly drift away.

Interestingly, it appears as if there’s a new name being linked with a potential move to Newcastle in 2025, as Ben Jacobs has shared what he’s been told recently.

A Richarlison move from Tottenham Hotspur to Newcastle United is a possibility in 2025

Richarlison has been rather unfortunate at Tottenham in recent times, suffering an injury that is set to see him ruled out for the long-term.

However, that’s not stopped the attacker from looking to the future, as he has his eyes on playing at the 2026 World Cup with Brazil.

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Ben Jacobs has provided an update on Richarlison’s situation, and even revealed that Newcastle could be a potential destination for the Brazilian.

Speaking to Steve Wraith on the NUFC Matters YouTube channel, he said this.

“So Richarlison is an interesting one. A bit of fresh information here. The situation with Richarlison is the player was absolutely adamant last summer that he wanted to fight for his place at Spurs, and we were all very pleased to see him happy and sharing very candidly about the personal and mental health struggles that he’s had. And I think most of us just wanted it to work at Spurs and for Richarlison to be the 60 million plus player and to really thrive in the Premier League.

“Because at his best, he’s a pleasure to watch, and he can be unstoppable, but now I’m told the player’s changed his mind in the last few months and is willing to leave Spurs in 2025. But because of his aspirations to play in the 2026 World Cup, he doesn’t want to go to Saudi Arabia. If he gives a clear indication to Saudi that he wants to go, there are three or four of the PIF clubs that are desperate for him, but at the moment, it’s a no to Saudi or outside of Europe because he still wants to put himself in the frame by staying in Europe for the 2026 World Cup.

“And that may open up the door for a club like Newcastle United, so there is some substance to Richarlison and Newcastle, but price is the big issue because Spurs have been adamant throughout all of 2024 that if they’re to entertain an offer, it’s 60 million or more. Newcastle would not be looking anywhere near that number, given the player’s injury record and his form. Therefore, if this is to develop and Richarlison is open to going to another Premier League club, it would have to be from Newcastle’s point of view around the £40-45 million mark.”

Too much of a risk for Newcastle United

Even at £40 million, it’s too much of a risk to sign a Richarlison that has struggled to stay fit ever since leaving Everton a few years back.

The Brazilian has the ability to light up the Premier League when he’s at the top of his game, but we haven’t seen enough consistency from him.

If it did happen it would be a move in the summer when things are much more affordable and the PSR window passes, but it just seems unlikely.

However, you can never say never in the transfer world, so we shall wait and see.

It took Amanda Staveley years to get a Newcastle United deal over the line.

She first emerged as a contender to buy Newcastle United from Mike Ashley in 2017. It was not until 2021 when a deal was finally completed, and by then she had the backing of PIF.

Amanda Staveley then shockingly left Newcastle United over the summer, with her shares sold off to PIF and the Reuben family.

It was a surprise to see Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi depart St James’ Park. They were key figures on Tyneside – everything that has happened in recent years would not have been possible without them.

Their exits were followed by questions of ‘what next’, as well as rumours over investment at one of Newcastle United’s Premier League rivals.

Amanda Staveley is interested in Tottenham following Newcastle departure

In recent months, there have been whispers about Staveley and Ghodoussi investing in Tottenham Hotspur.

Ghodoussi was recently spotted at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, while it has been reported that Staveley could bring Eddie Howe to Spurs if she is able to buy a stake in the club.

The Staveley to Tottenham situation is rather strange, but it could become a reality.

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According to the Athletic, Staveley’s interest in investing in Tottenham Hotspur is genuine, with the interest becoming more intense in recent months.

They add that Staveley is looking to purchase a minority stake in Tottenham and would be ‘hands-on’.

The Athletic also report that Staveley has financial backers from USA and the Middle East, unlike the Newcastle United deal that saw the Magpies become a state-owned club thank to the riches of PIF.

Tottenham were against the Newcastle takeover

Staveley was and still is adored on Tyneside. She built up a real emotional connection with the Newcastle United fans, giving supporters hope during a really difficult period. Her desire to get the takeover done is why Newcastle are looking up, even if she has since departerd.

And getting the takeover done was not easy. Rumours of the PIF approach emerged in January 2020, and it was not until October 2021 that the £305million deal was signed off.

There were many obstacles, such as piracy and whether Mohammed bin Salman would be involved.

There was also pushback from Newcastle’s Premier League rivals, with the Times reporting in July 2020 that Tottenham and Liverpool were opposed to the deal going through.

The deal eventually did go through, and now Staveley is trying to buy shares in one of the clubs that wanted to derail the PIF takeover.

Mehrdad Ghodoussi did not forget the significance of October 7th for Newcastle United.

While Mehrdad Ghodoussi and his wife Amanda Staveley are no longer involved at St James’ Park, they are never going to be forgotten.

It was a real shock to see Staveley and Ghodoussi leave Newcastle United this summer, and it is a real shame they are no longer involved.

Toon fans are incredibly grateful for what the couple did, both before and after the takeover. They fought to get PIF‘s deal over the line, and it is their efforts that have got Newcastle to where they are today.

The past three years have been incredible for Newcastle United fans, and it should only get better in the coming years.

Monday was the three-year anniversary of the Newcastle United takeover

October 7th will always be an important date on Tyneside, as it was the day that everything changed in 2021.

Staveley’s attempt to buy Newcastle with the financial backing of PIF first emerged in the media in January 2020, yet it took more than 18 months for the deal to be finalised. On many occasions, it looked like the deal would never go through.

But it finally did on October 7th 2021.

Mehrdad Ghodoussi did not forget the Newcastle United anniversary

Monday was the three year anniversary of the takeover. Newcastle United are very happy with their progress, while the club looks extremely different to what it did when Mike Ashley left. In fact, it looks very different now to what it looked like at the start of the summer.

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The biggest change has been the departure of Staveley and Ghodoussi, who sold their shares in July.

But Ghodoussi still remembered the significance of Monday’s date, and took to his official X account to send a message to the Toon Army.

He wrote: “Happy anniversary.”

Newcastle fans wait to see what Ghodoussi and Staveley’s next move is

It really was a shock to see them leave Newcastle United during the summer. They have been pivotal figures in Newcastle’s recent history, and for them to no longer be involved with the club feels strange.

Staveley and Ghodoussi were heartbroken about leaving Newcastle, and it will be interesting to see what they do next.

There has been speculation in the media about them bringing new investment to Tottenham Hotspur, and the couple were spotted at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday. Ghodoussi posted pictures on Instagram of them watching the Minnesota Vikings vs the New York Jets during the NFL’s annual visit to the United Kingdom.

It will be interesting to see if the Spurs investment speculation goes anywhere. Even if it does, the date will not be anywhere near as memorable as October 7th 2021.

Eddie Howe met with Newcastle United chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan after the Magpies’ win against Tottenham Hotspur.

The PIF chief was at St James’ Park for the win over Spurs, which was Newcastle United‘s first game following what was a disastrous transfer window.

Yasir Al-Rumayyan was sat in the middle of Paul Mitchell and Darren Eales, and it looked rather uncomfortable in the St James’ Park stands.

But the mood was lifted by Alexander Isak’s winner, as a below bar Newcastle United picked up a vital three points against a fellow European contender in Spurs.

Yasir Al-Rumayyan arrived at a difficult time for Newcastle United

Al-Rumayyan’s visit had nothing to do with the summer transfer window, despite his arrival coming at a time when there was a lot tension given the club’s failure to make any major signings.

There had also been questions over PIF’s commitment to Newcastle United, with the Magpies’ progress somewhat stalling after an incredibly fast start following the takeover.

But the PIF boss continues to want the best for Newcastle United, and Eddie Howe has noticed that Al-Rumayyan is always keen to help as much as possible.

Eddie Howe shares how his meeting with PIF chief went

Ahead of Newcastle’s Premier League clash with Wolves, Howe spoke to the media and was asked about how his meeting with the chairman went following the Tottenham game.

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“The chairman is always very engaging,” he said.

“He’s a really positive guy, so I think he always wants to try and help and affect us in a good way. He’s very keen to communicate and help.

“Nothing but positives, helped by the result. Everyone was in a good mood. Good start to the season so it was very positive.”

PIF will know they need to keep supporting Howe

Howe’s meeting with Al-Rumayyan was positive, and so it should have been. The Newcastle United manager has not done anything wrong, and the club’s transfer window failure was down to Mitchell and Eales rather than himself.

Howe can only work with the tools he has given, and he has so far done that to the best of his ability. Al-Rumayyan will recognise that and understand that Newcastle’s success so far has been largely down to Howe’s ability as a manager.

As always, the ambition for PIF is to get to the top. Given the financial rules in place, that is incredibly difficult. Therefore, the owners are willing to help in any way they can to make Howe’s job easier, and it is positive to hear that Al-Rumayyan is always keen to know how he can improve the situation.

As long as he continues to make Howe feel loved and give him an environment that he can succeed in then Newcastle United will progress as a club.

Kieran Trippier did not start for Newcastle United on Sunday for the third Premier League game in a row.

The 33-year-old was an unused substitute at St James’ Park, as a below par Newcastle United beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-1.

It was not a brilliant performance, but the Magpies were able to snatch victory. Eddie Howe set his team up to play on the counter, and it worked perfectly.

On the balance of play, Spurs were the better team. They created a lot of chances, with Ange Postecoglou admitting that Tottenham’s performance did not match the result.

What Kieran Trippier was doing for Newcastle despite not playing against former club Tottenham

Newcastle had to really dig in and fight for victory, with Eddie Howe’s tactical approach helping his side get over the line.

But they also had some added help from Kieran Trippier, who did his best to play a part in Newcastle’s win despite not being on the pitch.

As substitutes do, Trippier trotted down the touchline towards the Leazes End to warm up in the second half. He would have been hoping to come on, despite Tino Livramento playing so well at right-back.

But while Trippier was out there warming up, he was also barking out orders. There was an instance in the second half when he was clearly trying to convey a message to his teammates, as Spurs prepared to take a free-kick in a dangerous area.

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The defender was desperately telling one of his teammates to lie down behind the wall to create a long barrier, just in case Tottenham tried to put their free-kick underneath the wall.

Trippier was trying so hard to get his message across that he was even stood on the pitch, attempting to get as close as possible despite being a long way away. Tottenham boss Ange Postececoglou caught wind of this, and pleaded with the England international to at least stand on the right side of the white line.

In the end, the free-kick missed the target, and Trippier could relax.

But it is moments like this that prove why he still has such an important role to play, despite no longer being a guaranteed starter and seeing Bruno Guimaraes leapfrog him to become Newcastle captain.

Even without the armband, Trippier is a leader. He is a pivotal voice, and will be vitally important for Eddie Howe moving forwards.

Kieran Trippier has been linked with a move to Turkey

During the summer, it looked likely that Trippier was going to depart St James’ Park. Trippier even asked to leave Newcastle, despite Eddie Howe wanting to keep him.

But the manager got his wish, and Trippier is still a Newcastle United player.

However, even though the Premier League’s transfer window has closed, there is still a chance for Trippier to go.

Going into the game against Tottenham, he was linked with a move to Turkey, where the transfer window is still open until September 18th.

However, the Daily Mail’s Craig Hope has stated on X that there is nothing in the rumours that Trippier could leave Newcastle United to join Eyupspor.

The only other possibility for Trippier to leave is Saudi Arabia, but their transfer window closes today (September 2nd).

Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou has now suffered back-to-back defeats against Newcastle United at St James’ Park.

Spurs were blown away by Newcastle United last season, with the Magpies winning 4-0 at St James’ Park. Alexander Isak, Bruno Guimaraes and Anthony Gordon ran riot that day, as Newcastle put Tottenham to the sword.

There were cries of ‘Tottenham Hotspur, it’s happened again’ from the St James’ Park crowd, who had seen Newcastle blow Spurs away 6-1 the season before.

This year’s clash at St James’ Park was much closer, but it had the same result. Newcastle won 2-1 despite not playing their best, with Eddie Howe setting his team up to be more defensive.

Eddie Howe got the better of Ange Postecoglou again, and the Tottenham manager is frustrated to see his side play so well yet head home with nothing.

Ange Postecoglou hails St James’ Park crowd

Following the game between Newcastle and Tottenham, Postecoglou spoke to Football London.

The Spurs boss admitted that it is always ‘difficult’ to play Newcastle United at St James’ Park, praising the Toon fans for the atmosphere that they create when their team is playing.

“Very similar, I guess to our first away game when we controlled it for the most part, nullified most of the threats that Newcastle have,” he said.

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“It’s obviously a difficult opponent here at home. The crowd create a pretty strong atmosphere for the home side, little things go their way but I thought for the most part we handled that really well.

“Then we gained the ascendancy in the game and we just needed to kill it off and we didn’t and a disappointing second goal. I thought we switched off a little bit but the game should have been well over by then.

“So, another sore one unfortunately where we haven’t got the rewards for our play, but ultimately it’s three strong performances from the first three games. The results don’t reflect it in that way.”

It is away from home that Newcastle United must improve

As Postecoglou says, Newcastle are always difficult to play against at St James’ Park. Eddie Howe has turned it back into a fortress, which has been a key reason for the success he has enjoyed during his time as manager.

But the big problem Newcastle have is their away form. It was a major issue last season, and it is something that the Magpies must rectify for the 2024/25 campaign.

Newcastle have played away twice this season, drawing both games 1-1. The most recent one was the Carabao Cup clash with Nottingham Forest, which ended with the Magpies winning on penalties.

But in both games, Newcastle struggled. The performances have not been great, and there needs to be an improvement after the international break. However, the saving grace is that Newcastle have not been playing well yet have managed to avoid defeat.

Newcastle’s next three fixtures

When domestic football returns, Newcastle face Wolves away from home. That will be a tough game, as it always is at Molineux. Then it is Fulham away, with Craven Cottage proving to be a ground that Newcastle do well at in recent years.

After those away fixtures, Newcastle return to St James’ Park on September 28th to face Manchester City. They will need the atmosphere to be electric that day, otherwise it will be extremely hard to get anything out of the game.

Jacob Murphy and Lloyd Kelly were Newcastle United’s two creators against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

The Magpies won 2-1 against Tottenham, despite not playing very well once again. Newcastle United were nowhere near their best, yet managed to be victorious.

Eddie Howe set Newcastle up to play on the counter, and that resulted in them scoring the winner. The Magpies hit Tottenham on the break, with Jacob Murphy played through on goal before giving Alexander Isak a tap in.

It was great forward play by Murphy, who had struggled up until that point to make an impact after coming on for Harvey Barnes.

But the 29-year-old delivered when it mattered, getting his first assist of the season.

First competitive Newcastle assist for Lloyd Kelly

And there was also a first assist from Lloyd Kelly, who provided the pass for Newcastle to take the lead in the first half.

Kelly has not been signed for his attacking prowess, but a quick throw-in allowed him to bomb down the line and pick out Barnes perfectly in the 37th minute.

The finish was sublime, as Newcastle scored against the run of play.

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Barnes took the plaudits, but the goal was made possible by Kelly.

This was the second time they have combined at St James’ Park, with Kelly assisting Barnes in the 1-0 friendly win over Brest in the Sela Cup.

Jacob Murphy hails Lloyd Kelly

Kelly’s assist capped off another solid performance in a black and white shirt.

The 25-year-old started at left-back for the second Premier League game running, and helped a resolute Toon defence pick up three points.

After the game, Kelly took to his official Instagram account to reflect on the victory.

He wrote: “THIS TEAM. Positive way to close out before the break, we keep moving forward.”

Kelly received a reply from Jacob Murphy, who commented: “Big performance bro.”

Howe was right to take Kelly off against Tottenham

Kelly played really well against Spurs, but did not complete the full 90 minutes.

He was substituted in the 68th minute to be replaced by Lewis Hall, as Howe went in search of a winner.

The Newcastle manager was probably also mindful that Kelly was on a yellow card, having been booked in the first half for a foul on Son Heung-min.

At the time of the substitution, Kelly had been struggling up against the pacey Brennan Johnson. The former Nottingham Forest attacker was causing problems up against a player who dare not commit another foul.

That is why it was smart to get Hall on at left-back, as he and Kelly continue to dovetail.

Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton could not hide their excitement after Newcastle United beat Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

Once again, the Magpies were not at their best, but they were able to snatch victory thanks to a 78th minute winner from Alexander Isak.

That goal gave Newcastle United a 2-1 victory, and means they head into the international break with an unbeaten record in all competitions.

It was not a convincing performance, but that does not matter at this stage. Eddie Howe found a way to win, on a day that was incredibly special for Sandro Tonali.

Sandro Tonali makes St James’ Park return for Newcastle

After making his comeback in Newcastle’s Carabao Cup win over Nottingham Forest, Sandro Tonali was back at St James’ Park.

He started the win over Spurs on the bench, but took centre stage before the game as Wor Flags welcomed the 24-year-old back into the fold with an incredible display.

Tonali came on in the 68th minute to replace Sean Longstaff, and helped give the Magpies a lift at a time when they were struggling.

Eddie Howe was delighted with Tonali’s performance when he came on, while Tino Livramento is ‘buzzing’ to have Tonali back.

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The midfielder makes such a difference, and is clearly extremely popular inside the dressing room.

Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton serenade Tonali after beating Tottenham

In fact, Tonali was receiving more adulation as the players headed back into the dressing room following Newcastle’s 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur.

The club have released a video of the players returning to the dressing room on X, where they are greeted by Newcastle United number nine Callum Wilson, who is out with injury.

As Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton pass the camera, they both start signing ‘Sandro, ole, ole, ole’, with the Italy international right behind them.

They were showing their love for Tonali, belting out a chant that the Toon Army were signing all afternoon. The fan are so excited to have the ‘midfield maestro from Milano’ back, and so are Bruno and Joelinton.

That will be Newcastle’s best midfield three moving forwards

For the first time since losing to Brighton on September 2nd 2023, Tonali, Bruno and Joelinton were on the pitch at the same time in a Premier League game.

For many, that is Newcastle United’s best midfield three, and it is exciting to see what they can achieve together this season.

Last season, that trio was disrupted by injury and suspension. Hopefully there are no issues like that this season, as on paper they are one of the best midfield trios in the entire Premier League.

Hopefully they are starting together soon, but now it is the international break. Bruno is off to represent Brazil, while Tonali is making his Italy return in the Nations League.

Newcastle United head into the international break in good form.

Results wise, things could not really have gone much better for Newcastle this season. They’ve dropped two points away at Bournemouth but, aside from that, have won their three other games.

The fact Eddie Howe’s side have not yet clicked into gear is also promising. Surely, their relatively indifferent performances cannot last forever, so the hope will be that things start to become more convincing.

For now, however, it’s nice to see Newcastle doing the business on the pitch. The transfer window may have been fairly miserable but, so far at least, it does not appear to be having too much of an impact on the players.

Few would doubt Tottenham had the better of it on Sunday at St James’ Park but what is most important is that Newcastle found a way to win.

Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou was particularly impressed with Nick Pope.

Ange Postecoglou says Newcastle had an “outstanding” player against Tottenham

Speaking to Tottenham’s official website about the game after seeing his team squander a lot of chances, the Spurs head coach namechecked Pope as a particular stand out.

“I still think even outside of that [missing a striker] we just had some really good opportunities, a little bit more composure,” he said.

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“Fair play to Pope, I thought he had an outstanding game.”

Nick Pope isn’t perfect – but he’s so important for Newcastle

Pope may not be the most adept goalkeeper with his feet and is guilty of the occasional blunder, such as his parrying of the ball into Brennan Johnson’s path that led to Dan Burn putting through his own net on Sunday.

Still, surely few would doubt the fact that Pope is an upgrade on the goalkeepers Howe had to use in his injury-enforced absence last season, Loris Karius and Martin Dubravka.