Newcastle United vs. Tottenham Hotspur - Match Preview

By Matt Holmes / October 16, 2011

Some are calling today's Sky Sports Super Sunday 4pm kick-off against Spurs unbeaten 'Newcastle United's first real test of the season', but in doing so are completely forgetting that they held Champions League side Arsenal to a draw at home on the opening day and that they won the always heated derby away at Sunderland, among other impressive results this campaign. Nevertheless, it is true that the match could be a significant indicator for whether The Magpies can really go toe-to-toe with the best in the league and not blink. If they win today, whose to say they couldn't become a top six or top seven side by May? For Harry Redknapp's Spurs, they have come back strongly from demoralisingly heavy defeats against the two Manchester clubs and have now won four league games in a row, including a victory against North London rivals Arsenal. A thrilling encounter is clearly expected between the two in form sides and Sky clearly think so too by giving it the main Super Sunday slot. Both clubs care more about how many goals they score than they concede (though this season Newcastle have been tight at the back conceding fewer goals than anyone else, despite a few slips late in games) and there's usually excitement galore in this fixture. One thing that will be particularly interesting this afternoon is to see how Newcastle play if they do go one or two ahead. As we've said they've conceded late goals against Fulham and last time out against Wolves when in comfortable 2 goal leads only for the games to end shakily. Indeed if it wasn't for some bad refereeing they shouldn't really have won the game at The Molineux. Plus Alan Pardew will remember that last season it was perhaps an ill-judged counter attack at 1-0 that they failed to convert, that gave possession to Spurs and with the pace of Aaron Lennon they were able to capitalise and grab a late equaliser. Despite being strong at the back with Steven Taylor and Fabricio Coloccini and Tim Krul giving world-class performances in the goal, they definitely need to retain possession better again going ahead.

Team News

Despite picking knocks on international duty, Demba Ba and Yohan Cabaye are expected to start. There are doubts over Danny Guthrie (groin) and Sammy Ameobi (hamstring) which will allow other players to make the bench. Mike Williamson isn't ready but is probably targeting the League Cup match against Blackburn on the 25th for a comeback. Shola Ameobi and Haris Vuckic should return to the bench as they are on the comeback trail from their injuries. For Pardew, the big question of the game seems to be whether he includes French international Hatem Ben Arfa for his first Premier League start in a year now he is now fully fit. The problem doesn't seem to be whether he is ready for the pace of the league but instead, where do you fit him into a winning side and who would be the unlucky man to remove? We thought it might be Jonas Gutierrez but then he played so well against Wolves and scored a great solo effort that it would be unfair to drop him. Same for Gabriel Obertan whose pace gets Newcastle on the attack so quickly and there's no dropping Cabaye & Tiote in the middle of the park. So then do you play Ben Arfa behind the striker? Well no because Demba Ba has four goals in two games and Leon Best has such a good Premier League record. So for now, I imagine it'll be Ben Arfa on the bench, with the only change to the first 11 being the introduction of Davide Santon (if fully fit) to left back; Newcastle line-up likely to be;

Krul, Simpson, S Taylor, Coloccini, Santon, Obertan, Tiote, Cabaye, Gutierrez, Ba, Best Subs: Elliott/Harper, R Taylor, Ben Arfa, Vuckic, Marveaux, Shola Ameobi, Lovenkrands

Though there is definitely an argument that suggests Ryan Taylor is no worse a defender at right back than the forever backing off Danny Simpson, so you play Ryan Taylor because of his free kick and crossing threat. For Spurs, Vederan Corluka (foot), Tom Huddlestone (ankle) and Niko Kranjcar (thigh) won't play. There are also doubts over Aaron Lennon (groin), Emmanuel Adebayor (hamstring) and Sandro (calf) and at least two of those names Pardew won't mind seeing the back off. There's also something of a centre back crisis with heavy doubts over William Gallas (calf) and Michael Dawson (achilles). Not only that but Rafael Van Der Vaart has either picked up a hamstring injury on International duty for Holland or has fallen out with the manager (or a combination of both) and may not play. With former Toon midfielder Jermaine Jenas now at Aston Villa on loan, returning Newcastle players will be Scott Parker (who was completely ineffective in a 5-0 drubbing here with West Ham last season) and Sebastian Bassong, who I think Redknapp is probably now aware was never in a million years worth the £9 million they paid for him a few years back. Prediction: 2-2 - I expect a game similar to last season. Plenty of attacking play, Spurs having the majority of the possession but neither side really getting the advantage to look like winning it. Newcastle United vs. Tottenham Hotspur is the Super Sunday game televised live on Sky Sports at 4pm this afternoon.