Match report and highlights as Tottenham are thrashed 6-1 by Newcastle at St James' Park; Eddie Howe's side scored five goals in the first 21 minutes to move up to third; Spurs now six points off the top-four spots, their season plunged into crisis
Monday 24 April 2023 11:27, UK
Tottenham's hopes of securing a top-four finish disintegrated in humiliating fashion as Newcastle smashed five goals in the first 21 minutes on their way to an extraordinary 6-1 win at St James' Park.
Spurs switched to a back four for the first time since January 2022 but interim boss Cristian Stellini's tactical plan was left in tatters immediately as Newcastle ran riot to move up to third and boost their own prospects of sealing Champions League qualification.
The hosts scored three times in the first nine minutes against the abject visitors, with Jacob Murphy converting a close-range opener after 62 seconds then smashing a stunning third after Joelinton had doubled the lead from Fabian Schar's ball over the top.
Tottenham's defence continued to crumble, with Alexander Isak adding a clinical, quick-fire double in front of the buoyant home supporters, his second coming on 21 minutes, making it the second-earliest any Premier League side has ever taken a five-goal lead.
Spurs goalkeeper Hugo Lloris did not emerge for the second half, with Fraser Forster replacing him, and substitute Callum Wilson restored Newcastle's five-goal advantage only 65 seconds after coming on following a well-taken consolation goal by Harry Kane.
While Newcastle celebrate a memorable win and jump above Manchester United into third, Spurs slip six points off the Champions League places having played a game more. With the humbling defeat coming only a week after their late loss at home to Bournemouth, their season has been plunged into crisis.
It had been another chaotic week off the pitch for Spurs, with Fabio Paratici resigning from his post as managing director on Friday, and the disarray behind the scenes played out on the pitch at St James' Park in a remarkable opening.
The game was barely a minute old when the floodgates opened, Murphy slamming home from a few yards out after Joelinton had been allowed to cut inside from the left unopposed and release a low shot which was only temporarily repelled by a diving Lloris.
It set the tone for what was to come. Only four minutes later, Schar sent a speculative long pass over the top of the Spurs defence which Joelinton, again untracked by the hapless Pedro Porro, was able to control before beating the advancing Lloris.
Fans from both sides were already in a state of disbelief at that point and so too was Murphy when, moments later, his powerful long-range strike found the far corner for the third goal after Spurs had surrendered possession in their own half, the winger standing open-mouthed in celebration as Lloris remained rooted to the spot.
Spurs briefly threatened at the other end, with Kane firing narrowly wide from an Oliver Skipp cut-back, but their nightmare was only just beginning, with Isak adding the fourth from Joe Willock's sensational, outside-of-the-boot pass following a break.
As Spurs' shell-shocked players argued amongst themselves, Newcastle continued to show no mercy, Isak dispatching his second and Newcastle's fifth from Sean Longstaff's cut-back.
Stellini abandoned his back four at that point, turning to substitute Davison Sanchez, a player booed off by his own supporters against Bournemouth last weekend, to replace Pape Sarr as they reverted to a five in the interests of damage limitation.
But Newcastle, beaten 3-0 by Aston Villa in their last game, continued to tear into them, with Eric Dier and Cristian Romero woeful in the centre of the Spurs defence and Porro and Ivan Perisic similarly poor in the full-back positions.
There were audible olés from the home fans as Newcastle toyed with Spurs in what remained of the first half and the second half began with news of a half-time change in goal, with Forster replacing the five-times beaten Lloris, who had picked up an injury.
Spurs briefly looked like they may make the scoreline more respectable when Kane dispatched his fine consolation, his low finish from an acute angle beating Nick Pope, who was mostly a bystander.
But Newcastle continued to dominate and Isak could have had a hat-trick if he had reacted slightly quicker from Longstaff's cross-shot shortly after Kane's goal.
The hosts did not have to wait long for their sixth, though, and it came from Isak's replacement as Wilson poked home from fellow substitute Miguel Almiron's pass inside the Spurs box.
Anthony Gordon, another substitute, also went close in the closing stages, drawing a save from Forster which was then hacked off the line by a Spurs defender, but the five-goal margin of victory was more than enough to ensure a party atmosphere at St James' Park.
Spurs, meanwhile, are left in a state of chaos, with their hopes of salvaging a top-four finish from a stormy season evaporating.
Tottenham captain Hugo Lloris to Sky Sports:
"It's very embarrassing. The first thing is probably we should apologise to the fans who travelled, the fans who watched the game. Obviously we didn't show a great face.
"We could not match the performance of the Newcastle players. We were late in all the aspects of the game. We completely missed the first part of the game. Obviously the second half is another story. It's really painful.
"It's not even about talking of tactics, it's just we could not fight. Newcastle had a great performance, they were very aggressive, very offensive. Every time they got the ball they were looking forward and, I don't know, it's difficult to assess and analyse the performance. The first things was a lack of pride.
"To concede four goals in 20 minutes... you can get punched once, twice. But it was something strange, like we could not even react. We could not even bounce back into the game, into the performance. But Newcastle deserve a lot of credit. They started the game with power, they were very dynamic and they knew exactly what to do, with the ball and without the ball.
"We can try to find excuses and analyse the performance but the first thing is we miss the fight. In football, if you go on the pitch without the desire to show aggressiveness, to win duels, to win the battle it makes things very hard. Or you have to be very good with the ball technically and tactically. It was a big mess.
"We can't hide behind the club's problems. We are players, we are professional and every time we go onto the field we try to deliver the best but today there was too much lacking in all the aspects. Now there are two other very difficult games in the week and we have to bounce back."
Tottenham boss Cristian Stellini said to Sky Sports:
"We were not prepared enough to play an important match. We have a good squad, but [on Sunday] no one showed how good they are.
"It was my responsibility to decide the system [for the game] and we decided to do it differently because we had many injured.
"It is my responsibility to take this type of decision, I took it and it was wrong.
"I have to take responsibility because after we changed system, the game was gone, we had to play better and we did. We scored and tried to fight, but it is very difficult to understand why the first 25 minutes were so bad."
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Stellini added: "There are no words to explain a performance like this. The first 25 minutes were maybe the worst I have ever seen.
"We trained [in a back four]. I was surprised [at how badly the system worked]."
This will go down as one of Tottenham's darkest days in the Premier League era. Stellini's change of system backfired spectacularly. The players on the pitch appeared to give up.
But the spotlight should also fall on chairman Daniel Levy, who is ultimately responsible for allowing Spurs to get to this point, without a proper manager, a full month after Antonio Conte's sacking, or even a director of football following Fabio Paratici's exit.
Stellini's decision to switch to a four was a mistake. The players, already struggling to defend adequately in a five, looked like they did not know where to stand or what to do. As the goals flew in, their fragile confidence disintegrated completely.
But is it any wonder that the long-serving assistant of the man sacked last month has struggled to change the direction of the team? His methods are Conte's. He is underqualified and out of his depth. The wrong man at the wrong time.
For Levy, the obvious next step is to accelerate the process of appointing a permanent manager. But after this, you would not blame any prospective candidates for backing out. Besides, it is surely too late to salvage a top-four finish this season. It is a mess of the chairman's making.
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe told Sky Sports:
"That's the reaction we wanted. It was an incredible start to the match from us. I thought we were very good. The crowd were incredible for us and we elevated our performance during that opening half an hour.
"You're planning during the week on how you're going to impose yourselves on your opponents. I think the big message was for us to play our game as we don't think we did against Aston Villa.
"I said before the game that it was about re-aligning our principles of play.
"We planned as if they might change [to a back four]. We thought it was a realistic possibility so we worked on that in the week, and it's all about being adaptable in the Premier League.
"We want the high energy and intensity off the ball and then we want the calmness on it. We want progressive football so the lads have had to take on a lot of information but they're doing incredibly well.
"Since I walked through the door here, the players have responded so well to us and I can't thank them enough really."
Newcastle full-back Kieran Trippier told Sky Sports:
"We shouldn't be scared to say we want to play Champions League football. We knew how big it was [on Sunday] against Tottenham. The games are now running out but we've got another one around the corner so we need to be ready for that.
"This club and this stadium would be bouncing if we could bring Champions League football back here.
"The gaffer has put faith in the players here. They've shown how good they are. The fans have been unbelievable all season. Since I've arrived, they've been incredible home and away. The results have obviously helped, but hopefully that can continue.
"Newcastle and Atletico have the best supporters I've ever played for, but Newcastle take it up to another level."
Newcastle visit Everton at Goodison Park on Thursday night; kick-off 7.45pm. Tottenham are back in action on the same evening at home to Manchester United at 8.15pm.
April 27: Everton (A) - Premier League, kick-off 7.45pm
April 30: Southampton (H) - Premier League, kick-off 2pm
May 7: Arsenal (H) - Premier League, kick-off 4.30pm, live on Sky Sports
May 13: Leeds (A) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm
May 18: Brighton (H) - Premier League, kick-off 7.30pm
May 22: Leicester (H) - Premier League, kick-off 8pm
May 28: Chelsea (A) - Premier League, kick-off 4.30pm
April 27: Man Utd (H) - Premier League, kick-off 8.15pm
April 30: Liverpool (A) - Premier League, kick-off 4.30pm, live on Sky Sports
May 6: Crystal Palace (H) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm
May 13: Aston Villa (A) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm
May 20: Brentford (H) - Premier League, kick-off 12.30pm
May 28: Leeds (A) - Premier League, kick off 4.30pm
