Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur’s last meeting in the Premier League was a strange, bitter-sweet occasion for all involved.
Although disappointed to miss out on the crown, Spurs were unquestionably proud of a campaign in which they’d come within an arm’s reach of the Premier League title – a 5-1 battering at St. James’ Park on the final day of the season was not how they’d planned to bow out, and certainly didn’t do their 2015/16 justice.
Newcastle, meanwhile, finally provided the fearless performance at home the Toon Army had craved all season. The only problem was that it came too late, the Magpies’ relegation fate already decided.
During the period between then and their meeting on Sunday, once again on Tyneside, both clubs have endured equally intriguing journeys. While Tottenham managed to go one better than third last season, once again emerging as the chasers in the race for the top flight title, Newcastle pulled themselves over the promotion line in a techy and dogged Championship campaign.
Fixture to Fixture, here’s a look back at the pivotal moments from the paths Tottenham and Newcastle have taken since their last meeting as they prepare to battle at St. James’ Park once again in the Premier League…
Rafa stays
Ten days after the win over Spurs, the Toon Army received the news they’d desperately waited for.
There were inevitable doubts over whether a manager of Rafa Benitez’s top-class credentials would be willing to drop down to the Championship and accept the challenge of instantaneous promotion, not least because his contract included a relegation break clause.
But citing ‘the love I could feel from the fans’, Benitez announced he was staying at the end of May. The Spaniard hasn’t always enjoyed a happy relationship with Mike Ashley, but he’s still adored almost unconditionally by the Tyneside faithful.
Sissoko sold
A connecting point between Newcastle and Tottenham, Moussa Sissoko’s move to White Hart Lane was one of the most arduous transfer sagas of last summer.
Following a campaign thwart with criticisms of questionable attitude and inconsistent form, it was obvious from the moment Newcastle were relegated that Sissoko would be sold – it was just a question of to who and for how much.
Unexpectedly impressive performances for France at Euro 2016, including a Man of the Match performance in the final, saw suitors emerge from all over Europe.
But it was eventually Tottenham who signed the controversial midfielder in a club-record deal on deadline day, lining Newcastle’s pockets with £30million – 200% more than they paid Toulouse just three-and-a-half years earlier. But will he come back to haunt Newcastle this Sunday?
Big Vic arrives
Victor Wanyama was Tottenham’s first major arrival of the summer, and what a signing he proved to be.
The former Southampton man may not always grab the headlines but his physicality gave Spurs even greater control in the middle of the park alongside Moussa Dembele last season and added further protection to an already water-tight defence.
In a fine debut season at White Hart Lane, the powerful Kenyan started all but three of Spurs’ top flight fixtures, provided four goals and completed the most tackles and second-most passes of any Tottenham player.
Not bad for £11million.
Revenge
After a frenetic start to the season from the Premier League’s top clubs saw Chelsea emerge as the standout candidates for the title as Antonio Conte’s switch to 3-4-3 propelled them up the league.
The Blues were amid a 13-game winning run when they travelled to White Hart Lane at the start of January but it was Tottenham who proved the Blues weren’t invincible, outmuscling and outgunning them in a 2-0 win – Dele Alli claiming a famous brace with two almost identical goals exposing the lack of aerial dominance between Cesar Azpilicueta and Victor Moses.
The victory served as revenge for the Battle of Stamford Bridge the season prior and shot Spurs up to third, seven points behind their London rivals.
The title clash
Although Newcastle started the season as favourites for the title, Brighton were giving the Tynesiders a very good run for their money under former Toon boss Chris Hughton.
In fact, following a 2-2 draw with Bristol City in February, the Seagulls actually overtook the Magpies in pole position, just in time for Newcastle’s trip to the AMEX Stadium. Both sides knew this game would go a long way to deciding the final standings come the end of May and Newcastle were well on course for defeat, trailing 1-0 as they entered the last ten minutes.
Then came the stunning comeback; goals from Mo Diame and substitute Ayoze Perez – an inspired tactical call on Benitez’s part – in the most iconic and important win of Newcastle’s Championship season.
Squeaky bum time
Newcastle may have seen off their closest competitors Brighton over ninety minutes but the Rafaultion was running out of steam. Compared to 16 wins during the first half of the season, Newcastle were forced to settle for a spate of draws during the run-in, whilst a series of defeats stifled their momentum too.
None were more concerning than a 3-1 battering at the hands of 15th-placed Ipswich in mid-April, a result which put Newcastle seven points behind Brighton with three games to go, and just six clear of the playoffs.
A goal from former Tractor Boy Daryl Murphy cancelled out Freddie Sears’ opener, but Mike McCarthy’s side quickly hit back through David McGoldrick and Emyr Huws to seal a worrying defeat for the Magpies at Portman Road.
Title dreams over
Tottenham made a real fist of their title bid in the second half of the season, the Chelsea win acting as a catalyst for 14 wins from their last 18 games.
However, it wasn’t enough to catch the Blues in time and a shock defeat to London rivals West Ham at the start of May sealed their fate, Manuel Lanzini bagging the only goal of the evening during a chaotic Friday night at the London Stadium.
Whereas Tottenham had lost their nerve the season prior, relinquishing a 2-0 lead over Chelsea to gift Leicester the title, this wasn’t a case of bottle-jobbery – a modest-sized squad that had battled relentlessly all season simply ran out of steam upon reaching the final hurdle. It was another failed title push for Spurs, but a season they could be unquestionably proud of.
Over the line
Despite seemingly all-but-mathematically losing the title race, Newcastle hit back with a bang during the final three games of the season, annihilating Preston 4-1 at St. James’ Park before claiming routine wins over Cardiff City and Barnsley.
Brighton, on the other hand, struggled with a much tougher run-in, facing two of the sides relegated from the Premier League the season prior, Norwich and Aston Villa, and a Bristol City outfit fighting for their lives. The Seagulls claimed just one point from their final three games, leaving Newcastle just enough room to usurp them to the title on the last day of the season by a single point.
Tyneside was jubilant, even if Newcastle hadn’t convinced all the way through the season, but there was an underlying feeling of the hard work only truly beginning.
Kane’s goal run and goodbye White Hart Lane
Harry Kane made no secret of his desire to claim the Golden Boot but after missing a portion of the season through injury, he had some catching up to as the campaign reached the final run-in.
Then came a bout of form that threw egg in the face of anybody who had once doubted the England international as a one-season wonder – eight goals in his last three games, including consecutive hat-tricks against Leicester and Hull City.
Tottenham’s title bid may have already been over, but in sharp contrast to the disappointing result at St. James’ Park the year previous, Kane ensured his side finished the season in style and said a proper goodbye to the old White Hart Lane, netting in a 2-1 win over Manchester United. It was the perfect result to lead into celebrations of Tottenham’s famous ground, which saw a whole host of fan favourites return to the Lane and heralded a tear-soaked pitch invasion.
Spurs fans can now look forward to a season at Wembley, before returning to the rebuilt White Hart Lane next summer.
Walker walks out
A departure that could have a reverberating effect for many years to come, Kyle Walker’s move to Manchester City signified the first brick of Tottenham’s title-contending side being removed by a Premier League rival, albeit the north London club picking up a staggering £50million for the privilege.
The long-term effects remain to be seen; Walker may well be the first of many to leave in the coming years. But in the short-term, with former understudy Kieran Trippier injured, it’s also created a real selection headache for Sunday’s game.
Will Eric Dier come into a back four, or will Sissoko, much-maligned by both sets of supporters, appear at wing-back to wreak unexpected havoc at his old stomping ground?
