Bruce is delighted to see Newcastle’s hard work pay off with Spurs scalp
TOTTENHAM: Lloris, Walker-Peters (Eriksen, 62 mins), Alderweireld, Sanchez, Rose (Davies, 88 mins), Sissoko, Winks, Lucas Moura, Lamela (Lo Celso, 62 mins), Son, Kane. Unused subs: Vertonghen, Dier, Gazzaniga, Skipp.
NEWCASTLE: Dubravka, Krafth, Schar, Lascelles (Fernandez, 82 mins), Dummett, Ritchie, Almiron, Hayden, Longstaff, Saint-Maximin (Atsu, 17 mins), Joelinton (Muto, 88 mins). Unused subs: Shelvey, Willems, Manquillo, Darlow.
Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral).
Man of the Match: Paul Dummett
Match Rating: 6/10 NEWCASTLE manager Steve Bruce was delighted with his side’s performance after they secured a shock 1-0 victory at Tottenham.
Bruce had been under pressure after losing the first two matches, but Joelinton’s first goal for the club secured three points at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, amid more VAR drama.
Spurs struggled to break down the Magpies’ defence and had a penalty shout after Harry Kane went down in the box, but the on-field referee Mike Dean and a VAR review ruled there was no penalty.
Speaking after the game, Bruce (below) said: “I was delighted for the players and for the staff, all week we’ve worked on a system tactically and organisation and for them to go nail it the way they did on one of the big platforms in Europe, not just in the Premier League, was great.
“They’re a great side, Spurs, with great players, great manager — arguably as good as there is — then to come and turn them over was a big thing for all of us.”
On Joelinton’s first goal for the club after his £40m move from Hoffenheim, the Newcastle boss (below) said: “He’s only been at the club a month. I thought we can play to his strengths better, if we can get the ball into him, he can be pretty direct but he’s got a left foot and a right foot.
“When you’ve come for a big lot of money, and of course you’re a centre forward, you want to get off the mark and score.
“He had a big chance against Norwich, today though his touch and the way he’s taken it was excellent. I’m delighted for him of course.”
Spurs had plenty of the ball, but, with Christian Eriksen on the bench, had no way of breaking down a 10-man Newcastle wall and it was the visitors who instead found gaping holes at the other end.
One of them should have led to an opener but Sean Longstaff opted to shoot when he had two men free in the box and Hugo Lloris tipped over.
Spurs did not get away with the next one, though, and they fell behind in the 27th minute as Davinson Sanchez was caught playing the offside trap, allowing Joelinton to latch onto substitute Christian Atsu’s inch-perfect ball and rifle home his first goal for the club.
Spurs’ best chance came in the 32nd minute as Kyle Walker-Peters did well down the right and stood a cross up for Son Heung-min, whose volley was well saved by Martin Dubravka, while Lucas Moura spurned a good chance with the final kick of the first half, putting a shot wide from Kane’s cross.
The second half did not get much better as Newcastle remained compact and defended bravely and Spurs found it impossible to create any danger.
For the second home game in a row, Mauricio Pochettino turned to Eriksen to try and unlock the door, but even the Dane could not make a difference, leaving the boss to reflect that he could not justify his side’s performance.
It was the third time Spurs have fallen behind this season and the 10th in the last 12 performances.
He said: “We didn’t play well. (I’m) pretty disappointed about our performance and of course our result.
“Again, we conceded a very cheap goal in the first half and then it was difficult. I think we all showed that they were very well organised with the defensive line and of course they were very compact. “And for us we were capable to break down the defensive line, the organisation. We created some chances but not enough to be honest.
“That is why I’m very disappointed with the performance and with the result but we cannot justify our performance.”