Newcastle v Tottenham predictions: High-scoring encounter on the cards

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Newcastle United v Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Sunday.

Where to watch

Sky Sports Main Event & Premier League, 4.30pm Sunday

Best bet

Over 2.5 goals
1pt 5-6 Betfair

Team news

Newcastle
Callum Wilson, Jamaal Lascelles and Jonjo Shelvey have been back in training after injury and could be involved.

Tottenham
Two unnamed players have tested positive for Covid-19 having trained on Thursday and will both have to isolate for ten days. Giovani Lo Celso, Davinson Sanchez, Cristian Romero and Emerson will be assessed after returning from international duty.

Match preview

Newcastle's Saudi Arabian-backed takeover will not have an immediate impact on the quality of their team but it should lift their supporters and the feelgood atmosphere could contribute to a high-scoring clash with Tottenham at St James' Park.

In fairness to much-maligned Toon boss Steve Bruce he has been trying to foster a more attacking ethos and the Magpies' eight-goal tally was the highest among the bottom-six teams heading into the weekend.

Bruce's team have netted in each of their last five games and four of those have been in spite of the absence of last season's top scorer Callum Wilson, who has been sidelined with a hamstring injury.

Wilson has returned to training and may feature against Spurs, affording the home side a better chance of recording their first league win of the season.

Newcastle's attack has been heavily dependent on Allan Saint-Maximim, who is probably one of the few players who can be confident of having a long-term future under the new regime.

The skilful Frenchman seems to have been enjoying the added responsibility of leading the line and it was his superb finish which rescued a 1-1 draw against Leeds in Newcastle's last home game.

While Newcastle have looked lively in attack, they are struggling at the back and approached the weekend with the joint-worst defensive record (16 goals conceded), alongside basement boys Norwich.

They are yet to keep a clean sheet in the league this season and their defensive fragility could offer the ideal opportunity for Tottenham talisman Harry Kane to kick-start his campaign.

Kane has had a habit of getting off to slow starts but six league games without a goal is a substantial drought by the England captain's standards and he was certainly below his best during the Three Lions' 1-1 draw with Hungary on Tuesday.

However, the 28-year-old has fond memories of St James' Park, having bagged a double on each of his last two visits, and a return to Tyneside may be what he needs to get back among the goals.

Heung-Min Son has been Tottenham's star man this season – scoring three of their six league goals – and should be confident after netting in each of South Korea's recent World Cup qualifiers at home to Syria (2-1) and away to Iran (1-1).

His partnership with Kane will be crucial to hauling Spurs up the table and they could do some damage on Sunday - increasing the chances of a winning wager for backers of over 2.5 goals.

Key stat

Each of Newcastle's last three matches at home to Tottenham have contained at least three goals.

Inside info

Newcastle

Penalty taker Callum Wilson
Free-kick wizard Matt Ritchie
Set-piece aerial threat Federico Fernandez
Card magnet Isaac Hayden

Tottenham

Penalty taker Harry Kane
Free-kick wizardHarry Kane
Set-piece aerial threatEric Dier
Card magnetOliver Skipp

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