Newcastle boost top-four hopes by hitting Spurs for six

Newcastle United boosted their top-four hopes and did serious damage to those of Tottenham Hotspur with a 6-1 demolition of the north London team at St James’ Park.

Eddie Howe had said he wanted a response from Newcastle after a 3-0 defeat at Aston Villa last time out, and they produced just that, racing into a 5-0 lead by the 21st minute.

Jacob Murphy scored the first from close range on two minutes with only his second touch of the match.

NEW

6-1

TOT

close

TV Info - Broadcasters

Four minutes and nine seconds later it was 2-0, with a clinical Joelinton finish, before Murphy added his second, and Newcastle's third, with a 30-yard shot beyond Hugo Lloris. 

In doing so, Newcastle became only the sixth team in Premier League history to score three goals within the opening nine minutes of a match, and the first since Manchester City's 6-1 win over Burnley in April 2010.

There was no let-up for shell-shocked Spurs as three became four, then five goals within 21 minutes as Alexander Isak added two more.

His first came with a clinical finish from a brilliant through-ball from Joe Willock, while Isak’s second took his total to nine goals in 15 Premier League appearances. Only Erling Haaland, with a goal every 69.8 minutes, has a better ratio than the Swede's 97.2 minutes. 

Newcastle became the second team to go 5-0 up inside the opening 21 minutes of a Premier League match, only Man City doing so quicker, inside 18 minutes at home to Watford in September 2019.

Spurs immediately made a change and reverted from an experimental back four to a flat three, with centre-back Davinson Sanchez replacing midfielder Pape Sarr, while Fraser Forster came on for captain Lloris at the start of the second half.

Harry Kane pulled a goal back four minutes after the break with his 24th goal of the season, but Newcastle’s five-goal cushion was restored when Callum Wilson netted one minute and six seconds after coming on as a substitute. It was the fourth consecutive match in which he had scored against Spurs.

Newcastle take advantage of Manchester United being in FA Cup action to go above them on goal difference into third on 59 points, having played a match more. They are six points ahead of Spurs in fifth.

The race for Europe

Position Pos	Club	Played Pl	GD	Points Pts
1	Man City MCI	38	+61	89
2	Arsenal ARS	38	+45	84
3	Man Utd MUN	38	+15	75
4	Newcastle NEW	38	+35	71
5	Liverpool LIV	38	+28	67

View More

West Ham ease fears of drop

West Ham United eased their relegation fears with a comprehensive 4-0 win at fellow strugglers AFC Bournemouth. 

BOU

0-4

WHU

close

TV Info - Broadcasters

The players who gave the Hammers a famous 5-1 win in the UEFA Europa Conference League quarter-final against Gent all struck again as David Moyes’ side secured their first victory outside the capital since last August at Aston Villa. 

Michail Antonio gave West Ham a dream start, heading in Aaron Cresswell’s corner on five minutes. Seven minutes later, the Hammers were 2-0 up with another header, this time from Lucas Paqueta. 

Declan Rice added a third before half-time, lashing the ball in after it had fallen to him in the area before Pablo Fornals put the seal on proceedings with a spectacular scorpion kick from Jarrod Bowen’s cross on 72 minutes. 

Back-to-back away wins either side of a 2-2 comeback draw with Arsenal lift West Ham to 13th spot on 34 points, six clear of the bottom three. AFC Bournemouth drop to 15th with one point fewer. 

The relegation battle

Position Pos	Club	Played Pl	GD	Points Pts
13	Wolves WOL	38	-27	41
14	West Ham WHU	38	-13	40
15	Bournemouth BOU	38	-34	39
16	Nott'm Forest NFO	38	-30	38
17	Everton EVE	38	-23	36
18	Leicester LEI	38	-17	34
19	Leeds LEE	38	-30	31
20	Southampton SOU	38	-37	25

View More