Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak continued his rich vein of form with another goal on Saturday to help his side beat injury-hit Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 away in the Premier League and move closer to the top four.
Isak scored eight league goals in December and struck again just before halftime to give Newcastle the lead after they had fallen behind to a Dominic Solanke header in the fourth minute.
𝐇𝐓: Alexander Isak gives Newcastle the edge at Tottenham Hotspur 😏⭐
— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) January 4, 2025
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Solanke's goal had lifted the mood among home fans on a freezing day in north London, but Tottenham's lead was quickly snuffed out when Anthony Gordon fired home an equaliser.
Tottenham were the better side after the break with Brennan Johnson hitting the post and James Maddison going close, but Newcastle hung on through 10 minutes of stoppage time for a fifth successive Premier League win.
Eddie Howe's side moved level on 35 points with fourth-placed Chelsea who play at Crystal Palace later on Saturday while struggling Tottenham stay 11th with 24 points.
The respective form of the two sides could not have been more different heading into the new year with Newcastle on a four-match winning streak and Tottenham having managed only one win in their previous seven Premier League games.
Injury-ravaged Tottenham also began the game with third-choice keeper Brandon Austin making his debut after illness ruled out Fraser Forster, while captain Son Heung-min and James Maddison started among the substitutes.
Nonetheless Tottenham took the lead after four minutes.
Teenage Swede Lucas Bergvall, making only his second Premier League start, drove forward and fed Pedro Porro whose cross was met by Solanke whose diving header gave visiting keeper Martin Dubvravka no chance.
Tottenham's lead lasted only two minutes though. They tried to play out from the back and Bergvall's pass was intercepted by Joelinton's arm and he released Gordon to dispatch a left-foot shot past Austin.
Anthony Gordon responds to Spurs' fiery start 😏⭐
— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) January 4, 2025
We knew this fixture was going to deliver some quality goals ⚽
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Home manager Ange Postecoglou vented his anger that the goal had been allowed to stand.
Newcastle looked the slicker side going forward and Isak should have put them ahead when he glanced an effort wide from in front of goal. But he made amends in the 38th minute as Jacob Murphy crossed low into the area and the ball brushed off Spurs defender Radu Dragusin before Isak applied the finishing touch.
Tottenham were forced into a halftime defensive reshuffle with Dragusin, their only fit centre back, going off and being replaced by full back Sergio Reguilon with Djed Spence moving across alongside youngster Archie Gray.
The hosts showed plenty of spirit in the second half though and Brennan Johnson struck the post from a tight angle after Dubravka had parried a shot by Pape Matar Sarr.
Postecoglou rolled the dice just past the hour mark with a triple substitution - Son, Maddison and Yves Bissouma all coming on. Maddison curled a delightful effort agonisingly wide and deep into stoppage time Solanke headed a Porro cross straight at Dubravka.