By Olaitan Ibrahim
Newcastle inflicted more misery on injury-ravaged Tottenham as Alexander Isak extended his Premier League scoring streak in a 2-1 win on Saturday.
Both sides struck inside the first six minutes as Anthony Gordon cancelled out Dominic Solanke’s opener for Spurs.
Isak then scored for the seventh consecutive league game to claim a sixth straight win in all competitions for Newcastle.
The Magpies remain in fifth but move level on points with fourth-placed Chelsea in the battle for a place in next season’s Champions League.
Spurs’ ambition of a top-four finish already looks over after a run of one win in eight league games since a stunning 4-0 victory at Premier League champions Manchester City.
Tottenham sit 11th in the table but could sink as low as 14th by the end of the weekend if results go against them to increase the pressure on Ange Postecoglou.
However, a spirited performance from Postecoglou’s stretched squad deserved more as Newcastle were left clinging on in the closing stages.
Spurs were without first-choice goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario along with defenders Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero, Destiny Udogie and Ben Davies through injury plus the suspended Rodrigo Bentancur.
The loss of stand-in ‘keeper Fraser Forster to illness meant Postecoglou was forced to throw in Brandon Austin for his Spurs debut.
Slow starts, particularly at home, have been a major part of Spurs’ struggles under Postecoglou but they got off to a flyer.
In front of the watching new England manager Thomas Tuchel, Solanke did his case for international recognition no harm with a fine downward header from Pedro Porro’s cross on four minutes.