Harry’s strike seals top-four slot for Spurs
HARRY KANE pounced to notch his 39th goal of the campaign to stop the knees trembling at Wembley and keep the annual Tottenham wobble at bay.
Kane struck five minutes into the second half to ease Spurs ahead and clinch Champions League football for next season.
They were jeered off at half-time as one of their lowest Premier League crowds of the season glanced nervously at goal flashes from Chelsea.
Some 45 minutes later, though, a draw at Stamford Bridge meant Spurs had secured a top-four finish.
Mauricio Pochettino had fired his players up with a do-or-die rallying cry before the match, but they continued their sluggish form and could easily have been behind at the interval.
Jonjo Shelvey hit the woodwork and Hugo Lloris made some vital saves as Newcastle proved to be quick and dangerous on the counter. Tottenham, by contrast, were short of ideas and Kane looked out of sorts until he produced a clinical finish from just inside the penalty area.
His goal gave Spurs something to cling to. It was not supposed to be such a nerve-shredder, as the fixture list ended with two home games against opponents with little to play for. But Wembley has a knack of motivating teams and it lifted Newcastle.
‘It is a massive achievement to qualify again,’ said Pochettino. ‘I want to congratulate the players. I also want to congratulate all the staff.
‘It will be fantastic next season for Tottenham to be playing in a new stadium and in the Champions League.
‘The pressure was on us and maybe it was not a great game. But to finish in the top four and maybe top three, we have to be realistic and be thankful to the players.
‘We were against a team that were playing for nothing and so deep and, sometimes, it is difficult to have patience to play and build and to try to win. But we did it.’
Pochettino selected Moussa Sissoko as the solution to his shortage of central midfielders. Eric Dier had fallen ill on Monday and, with Harry Winks and Mousa Dembele injured, the Spurs boss was short on options. Sissoko was deployed alongside Victor Wanyama and the Newcastle supporters let their former player know what they thought, jeering his every touch. He agitated for a move away from Tyneside to play Champions League football after relegation two years ago, but his career in North London has not exactly gone to plan since the £30million transfer. This was a rare start for the Frenchman and his first contribution was to concede a free-kick on the edge of his own box.
Shelvey stepped forward and thumped a swerving effort against a post. The home crowd shifted uneasily. They had seen Spurs make hard work of beating Watford, another opponent with seemingly nothing to play for, in their previous home game.
Confidence has drained from Pochettino’s team in recent weeks and Lloris had to be alert and agile as Newcastle broke through them again. Jamaal Lascelles met Shelvey’s deep cross at the far post and the Tottenham keeper leapt to push his header wide.
Moments later, another escape, as Dwight Gayle drifted away from Davinson Sanchez in the area only to miss with a header from a cross by Ayoze Perez. Another effort from Gayle was saved by Lloris before the interval. At the back, Rafa Benitez had his team well-organised, with wingers Matt Ritchie and Kenedy chasing energetically to track the Spurs full-backs as they sought to advance.
A sign Spurs were finding it hard to create came when Jan Vertonghen broke out of defence, charged forward and tried his luck from 35 yards. His effort was well struck but straight at Martin Dubravka.
Earlier, Dubravka had been required to punch clear a teasing free-kick delivered from wide by Christian Eriksen. He also watched Wanyama fire over, but Tottenham did not open up the visitors until half-time was looming.
A free-kick routine wide from Kane to Kieran Trippier presented Sissoko with a chance in the air but he did not time his header.
Kane then burst clear on to a long ball behind Florian Lejeune, only to miscue horribly.
The striker settled Spurs nerves five minutes after the restart with an exquisite first-time finish, curled into the top corner from a pass by Son Heung-min.
It took the Spurs striker to 28 Premier League goals, three behind Liverpool’s Mo Salah in the race for the Golden Boot. Dubravka denied Vertonghen and Dele Alli as the game opened up but Kane’s goal did not mark the end of the jitters. Perez missed his kick when presented with a great chance and Lloris recovered to scramble ball behind.
Kenedy drove wide from the edge of the box and Jacob Murphy tore past Sanchez before missing the target from close range.
Still Newcastle’s wait for victory at Wembley goes on. They have not won in a competitive game at the venue since the 1955 FA Cup final.
This was their first visit since the Twin Towers were demolished and they played like a team thrilled to be on this stage rather than one supposed to be on the beach.
It was not enough. TOTTENHAM (4-2-3-1): Lloris; Trippier (Alderweireld 83), Sanchez, Vertonghen, Davies; Sissoko, Wanyama (Rose 89); Eriksen, Alli, Son (Lamela 77); Kane. Subs not used: Vorm, Foyth, Llorente, Moura. Booked: Alli, Lamela. NEWCASTLE (4-4-2): Dubravka; Yedlin, Lascelles, Lejeune, Dummett; Ritchie, Diame, Shelvey, Kenedy (Murphy 71); Perez, Gayle (Joselu 76). Subs not used: Darlow, Hayden, Manquillo, Merino, Haidara. Booked: Ritchie, Diame, Yedlin. Man of the match: Hugo Lloris. Referee: Neil Swarbrick. Attendance: 54,923.