Dele Alli gets the winner as strong Tottenham side edge out unlucky Newcastle 2-1

Mike Ashley employs one of the best in the business in Rafael Benitez, but the Newcastle owner must surely allow himself to cast the occasional covetous glance in the direction of Mauricio Pochettino. How could Ashley, who has a reputation for stingy stewardship, not be impressed by a manager who continues to deliver despite failing to spend a single penny this summer?

Pochettino’s team ground out a win which suggests they will be among the Premier League’s front-runners this season. They were not without fortune, the hosts striking their woodwork twice in an at times frenetic second half, as Tottenham secured a second consecutive opening-day victory on Tyneside. This was the kind of gritty away display on which successful campaigns are built.

Around 500 Newcastle supporters protested against Ashley at the doors of the Northumberland Street branch of Sports Direct pre-match. Their discontent was fuelled by the 53-year-old’s decision to spend £90 million on the fallen high-street giant House of Fraser in the wake of making a £20 million profit on summer’s transfer business – despite Benitez signing seven players.

The rumbling discontent continued throughout the afternoon in the form of constant anti-Ashley chants from the stands as Tottenham rode their luck somewhat to win.

They did so with five starters who had returned to training less than a week ago in the wake of featuring in last month’s World Cup semi-finals, two of those – Jan Vertonghen and Dele Alli – finding the net with first-half headers as all three of the contest’s goals arrived in a hectic 10-minute spell. “Scrappy is a good description of the game,” Pochettino reflected.

“It was always going to be difficult coming to a place like this on the first day of the season, so this result makes me extremely proud of the players. Many only came back and started working on Monday, so they deserve massive credit for this result.”

Harry Kane was among those returning to action with almost indecent haste, and although Pochettino begged to differ, the England captain understandably lacked sharpness following his Golden-Boot-winning exploits as his wait for a goal in August stretched towards 1,000 minutes, spanning 14 games. “He can’t score three every time plays,” mitigated the manager.

Newcastle based much of their success last season on their ability to repel set-pieces, but such solidity was in little evidence when the visitors took an eighth-minute lead. Christian Eriksen’s corner was headed towards goal by Davinson Sanchez, and Vertonghen’s deft glancing header crossed the line by millimetres before Martin Dubravka was able to claw the ball back in vain.

Parity was restored within three minutes when Sanchez and Vertonghen were caught ball-watching as Matt Ritchie cut in to send over an inviting centre from the right which Joselu headed into the bottom corner of the net past an exposed Hugo Lloris.

With momentum on their side and a full-house roaring them on, the hosts looked set to build from a position of strength. However, thanks to more questionable defending, they shipped what proved to be the decisive goal just seven minutes later.

The winner was simple in its construction and should have been dealt with, but Newcastle allowed Alli a free run at the far post to send a precise header back across Dubravka into the far corner from Serge Aurier’s whipped cross from the right.

An increasingly open second period surprisingly failed to produce further addition to the score. Dubravka saved well to deny Alli a second when the midfielder arrived in the area to deflect Kane’s mis-hit shot towards goal. The Slovakian goalkeeper provided an even better stop to keep out a well-struck first-time effort from former Newcastle midfielder Moussa Sissoko.

Not to be outdone at the other end, Lloris stood up well at his near post to block Ayoze Perez’s shot from a narrow angle. Newcastle continued to press, with Mo Diame and substitute Salomon Rondon both striking the woodwork in the quest for what would have been a fully deserved equaliser, but one which ultimately failed to materialise.

Tottenham Summer 2018 Transfers Listed

“We deserved at least a point,” said Benitez. “You could see our team spirit and work-rate, and with the chances we created, we deserved something. However, if you make mistakes against good players it’s difficult to stop them with their quality, pace and strength.”

Ashley has pledged to create a  “Harrods of the High Street” in his  bid to breathe life into his latest non-footballing acquisition. Benitez has  become more accustomed to operating in the Premier League’s version of Poundland since moving to Tyneside, although compared to Pochettino’s summer thrift, the Newcastle owner will no doubt feel his manager is being over-indulged.

“The window is closed so it’s clear that we can’t change anything now,” the Spaniard added. “The reaction is to work harder. I’m stood here praising my team for doing well, but still we have lost.”

Newsletter promotion - football nerd - inarticle

2:33PM

Jan Vertonghen

"They had a couple of good chances. It sounds crazy but we defended well with the ball. Sometimes we were a bit lucky today."

2:26PM

Full time: Newcastle 1 Tottenham 2

Newcastle a bit unlucky, they hit the woodwork twice. Benitez should be asked why he took off Matt Ritchie, who was at the heart of most of their good work. Newcastle look a solid mid-table side. Spurs, who fielded a strong XI, will be in the top few, but I don't think they can hope to win the League title if they are as sloppy in defence as they were on occasion here. Kane, by the way, looks well off his best. Still, a win is a win. Match report coming right up.

2:21PM

90+ mins: Newcastle 1 Tottenham 2                   

Yedlin hobbles off, NUFC will finish with ten men. Diame booked for fouling Kane.

Poor kid. Horrid start to the season. The remaining ten Mags cannot create a lot in the four minutes injury time... and this is going to be the lot.

2:17PM

89 mins: Newcastle 1 Tottenham 2                  

I agree: draw is the fair result here.

NUFC on the front foot. Pumping the ball forward.

Ooh, poor Yedlin. He tries to get on the end of a high ball, sticking out his right leg. That leg lands on the turf, "hyperextending the knee", says Alan Smith on the TV comms. That looks like it has really hurt. He is hobbling off. Ouch.

2:15PM

87 mins: Newcastle 1 Tottenham 2                 

Eric Dier is coming off. He looks knackered! Luke Amos is coming on for a debut.

2:14PM

85 mins: Newcastle 1 Tottenham 2                

Rondon! So close to making himself and instant hit at SJP. Lovely slide rule pass from Shelvey, Rondon takes it away from the defender Davies and shoots. Vertonghen dives in and the ball takes a hideous deflection, the wrong-footed Lloris can only watch and hope as the ball balloons sickeningly........... it hits the bar! And goes safe.

2:12PM

84 mins: Newcastle 1 Tottenham 2               

Ooh, a good opportunity goes a-begging for the Geordies. Atsu and Rondon have a break, really handy position, but they are not on the same wave length. One goes Bakerloo, the other goes Victoria, and it breaks down.

2:09PM

79 mins: Newcastle 1 Tottenham 2              

Muto, who looks vaguely like Michael Owen to me at a quick glance, has decent movement and looks quite mobile. He wins a corner. It is cleared.

2:07PM

79 mins: Newcastle 1 Tottenham 2             

Alli comes off to a rousing chorus of boos and abuse. Son comes on.

Perez comes off. Yoshinori Muto comes on.

2:04PM

75 mins: Newcastle 1 Tottenham 2            

Shelvey sends one into the channel and invites Yedlin to have a gallop at it. He's quick, and Lloris knows it. Hugo is out off his line in a flash to sort the situation out. Newcastle look a different side since Ritchie came off: who's distributing?

2:02PM

73 mins: Newcastle 1 Tottenham 2           

This has been a really fun and enjoyable game. Just hit a wee flat spot these last few minutes, perhaps everyone just adjusting to the subs etc

1:56PM

69 mins: Newcastle 1 Tottenham 2          

Ritchie is having a tantrum on the bench! He does not think that he should be off. I have to say, I sympathise. He's been their best player more or less.

1:55PM

68 mins: Newcastle 1 Tottenham 2         

Ritchie fouls Davies. Kane is booked. Dembele is on. Moura is off. Atsu is on. Ritchie is off. There is a lot. Going on.

Kane had fouled Kenedy. He accepts the booking without a murmur.

1:53PM

65  mins: Newcastle 1 Tottenham 2        

Ritchie, he has had a good game, finds Kenedy on the left wing. Decent low touch but nobody can apply the coup de grace.

1:52PM

64 mins: Newcastle 1 Tottenham 2       

Martin Atkinson tells the procrastinating Lloris to get a blinkin' move on at a goal kick. Dier has caught Perez, and a nervous moment for him, given that he's already on a yellow. Dembele is being warmed up.

1:49PM

61 mins: Newcastle 1 Tottenham 2      

Newcastle are giving it everything, Kenedy a real handful, Rondon getting involved right away.

1:48PM

58 mins: Newcastle 1 Tottenham 2     

Joselu has been booked for a foul, but now has a chance to run onto a good pass from Matt Ritchie. But Davinson Sanchez is too strong for him.

That is Joselu's  last act of the day. He's coming off, and there's a big hand for the debutant Salomón Rondón, who is wearing one of the most storied jerseys in British football, the Newcastle number nine.

And he's soon got a goalmouth scramble to get involved with! Spurs cannot clear, Perez smashes it at goal from close range and Lloris produces a fantastic reaction stop.

1:45PM

55 mins: Newcastle 1 Tottenham 2    

It's exciting stuff this. Moura and Kane combine to free Davies, who delivers a laser cross. Sissoko! Hits the target but Dubravka makes a very smart save.

1:43PM

54 mins: Newcastle 1 Tottenham 2   

Alli has mugged off Yedlin with a spin turn but cannot deliver a ball to match.

1:42PM

51 mins: Newcastle 1 Tottenham 2  

But Alli and Kane look like Pele and Maradona compared to this from Newcastle. They open Spurs up like a can of beans, acres of space in the Tottenham right back area, God alone knows where Aurier thinks he's going. Joselu frees Kenedy who is ten yards from the nearest opponent. He just has to take a touch and fire it at the isolated Lloris. But his touch is awful. I mean, seriously awful. It made me yell "YOU DONKEY!"  at top volume in the office, no doubt to the irritation of people on Big Paper who are doing their serious articles about... whatever it is they do. Sensationally terrible from Kenedy.

Here's the Pravda version:

1:39PM

49 mins: Newcastle 1 Tottenham 2 

Ooh, Spurs should have the third. Played into the box, Kane - who looks well short of sharpness  - manages to swing a leg at it and make contact with his knee or thigh. More by luck than judgment, this plays Alli in, but he in turn scuffs his effort. Not the finest hour for England's big two!

1:36PM

46 mins: Newcastle 1 Tottenham 2

Perez with a nice flick over Vertonghen, and this is a nice move... Spurs don't really clear.

Shelvey lofts the ball rather aimlessly forward. Aurier has nodded off at right back! Diame has got away from him and he has mullered the ball at goal. Smacks against the post from a narrow angle. Boy, he really caught hold of that.

Wake up, Spurses!

1:32PM

Second half coming up

It's the hosts to kick off.

1:19PM

Half time: Newcastle 1 Tottenham 2

Both sides seemingly unable to deal with crosses. Goal line techno worked perfectly for the opener. 

1:14PM

43 mins: Newcastle 1 Tottenham 2            

Spurs with some agricultural tackling. Davies now. Ritchie his vic.

1:12PM

42 mins: Newcastle 1 Tottenham 2           

Kenedy gets away from Aurier, who puts in a half-hearted challenge. Dier has to tidy up: his chosen method of doing that is to kick Kenedy. He's booked. Dier gives Aurier a volley for losing the man and putting him in that position. Fair enough.

1:11PM

41 mins: Newcastle 1 Tottenham 2          

The Waddler on Harry Kane on the BBC: "Harry Kane is not sharp. He's putting a shift in for the team but he is not sharp."

1:10PM

39 mins: Newcastle 1 Tottenham 2         

Newcastle with a ball into the box - Tottenham's defending of these aerial balls is not at all impressive for a team with pretensions of a Title challenge. They fail to clear (Aurier I think with the weak header), and a shot is scuffed just wide.

1:08PM

37 mins: Newcastle 1 Tottenham 2        

Eriksen whips in a lovely corner, Sanchez has beasted Shelvey at the front post and flicked a header just wide.

1:06PM

35 mins: Newcastle 1 Tottenham 2       

Kenedy pins his ears back for a run, Sanchez, an uncompromising sort of a guy, wrestles him to the ground. I enjoyed Sanchez at the World Cup: exciting centre defensive pair with Yerry Mina. Two right so-and-sos.

1:04PM

33 mins: Newcastle 1 Tottenham 2      

Newcastle give it away! Eriksen plays it through to Kane, who miscontrols it. Harry has been more or less anonymous so far.

1:04PM

31 mins: Newcastle 1 Tottenham 2     

Aurier has a decent chance when Kane's cross is punched to him. He fluffs his shot.

1:00PM

29 mins: Newcastle 1 Tottenham 2    

Dummett and Dubravka get in each other's way under a high ball. Bundle it clear.

Rowdy start but you could hear a pin drop at Fortress Barcode right now.

12:58PM

27 mins: Newcastle 1 Tottenham 2   

That corner half cleared, it drops to Dummett, who hits a low shot not far wide.

12:57PM

26 mins: Newcastle 1 Tottenham 2  

Perez puts Vertonghen under pressure, the Belgian blunders and concedes a corner. Can Matt Ritchie find another cross?

12:57PM

25 mins: Newcastle 1 Tottenham 2 

Joselu, er, treads on the ball and hurts hissen.

12:56PM

23 mins: Newcastle 1 Tottenham 2

Spurs look a cut above here. Playing it around. Looks like they know where each other are going to run, when to give it. Newcastle chasing somewhat ineffectually. 

12:55PM

It was classic Alli

12:50PM

GOAL! Newcastle 1 Tottenham 2 (Alli 18)  

Spurs again! A beautiful cross again! A missing defence again! This match is getting a little silly.

Aurier, down the right, sends a Beckham-esque peach of a ball into the Newcastle box. Dele Alli, who enjoys it up here, nods the ball home. Yedlin, listed on your racecard as Newcastle United's right back, has utterly failed in his duties. Alli has got away from him at the back post. Yedlin: incredibly quick, not an actual footballer.

12:48PM

15 mins: Newcastle 1 Tottenham 1

A nice little settling spell of possession for Spurs, who stroke it around under no pressure.

12:42PM

GOAL! Newcastle 1 Tottenham 1 (Joselu 11) 

And the hosts are level. Where is the Spurs defence?! A cross comes in from the right, Joselu has a free, glancing header and that was all too easy. Credit to Newcastle for hitting back right away. Great cross from Ritchie.

12:39PM

GOAL! Newcastle 0 Tottenham 1 (Vertonghen 8)

A bizarre goal. Davison Sanchez gets up well to head it on, and Vertonghen has headed into the underside of the bar. The referee's wrist buzzes, and we have our first goal, in somewhat surreal fashion. Initially I thought Paul Dummett had put it past his own keeper but Big Jan made contact a split second before, which should please everybody involved I guess.

12:38PM

7 mins: Newcastle 0 Spurs 0   

Eriksen! Decent hit from long range, was probably going wide anyway but Dubravka tips it around the corner to make sure. And that proves to be a huge mistake!

12:37PM

6 mins: Newcastle 0 Spurs 0  

Diame gives it away, shocking pass. Kane sends Alli through. Alli has the ball in the Newcastle area but he wants too long on the ball.

12:36PM

4 mins: Newcastle 0 Spurs 0 

Shelvey and Perez with a clever move, sending Joselu through. Dier gets his considerable frame in the way. Ritchie with an effort.

12:32PM

1 mins: Newcastle 0 Spurs 0

Nice day up there, and Spurs are stroking it about. Sissoko gets down the right and Ciaran Clark has cleaned him out! Freekick in a handy position, like a sort of short corner in hockey. Taken short by Eriksen, Ben Davies drills the shot but it is charged down.

12:30PM

So Rafa signed seven

but it's a familiar line-up for them. Spurs, again, as we might have expected.

Newcastle: Dubravka, Yedlin, Lascelles, Clark, Dummett,  Ritchie, Shelvey, Diame, Kenedy, Perez, Joselu. Subs: Ki, Schar,  Rondon, Muto, Manquillo, Darlow, Atsu.

Tottenham Hotspur: Lloris, Aurier, Sanchez, Vertonghen, Davies,  Dier, Sissoko, Lucas Moura, Eriksen, Alli, Kane. Subs:  Alderweireld, Son, Vorm, Walker-Peters, Llorente, Dembele, Amos.

Referee: Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire) 

12:29PM

Tottenham team

12:28PM

No walk-up graphics: here is the Toon team

12:26PM

God, it's going to be a long

season if Mourinho keeps this up.

Anyway. Newcastle vs Spurs. Here they are in the tunnel

12:19PM

Just a few minutes until kick off

Who do you fancy? I reckon Groundhog Day for the Toon: 2-0 to Spurs.

12:13PM

S-s-s-studio

It is mahoosive!

12:12PM

Fantasy Football!

Have you done your team? It's not too late.

45% of Telegraph Fantasy Football managers will be relieved to see Harry Kane in the Spurs line-up today: only Mo Salah is in more fantasy teams. Get your picks in before 12:30pm and you'll start scoring from this match. Play now.

12:06PM

Poch asked if he is happy with the zero signings

"We will see what happens. The most important thing is that nobody left the club. We have a full squad, a quality squad. It is historic after 2003 that one club has not signed any player. But we have quality enough to challenge again. We need a bit of luck and to work hard."

12:04PM

The Daveed derby

12:03PM

From Russia with love

It will be interesting to see if the England love carries over in to the season. I have personally always regarded any mention of the England side at club football to be gauche. But what do I know.

11:57AM

Harry Kane

It will be interesting to see how Harry scrubs up. He looked absolutely cream crackered for most of the World Cup and, IMHO, was way off his best in the knockout stages.

11:46AM

This match is on Sky Sports

I'm currently watching a bit of BT's new 'Live Saturday Morning Savage' show. Without a thought for my own safety.

11:38AM

Teams for Newcastle vs Spurs

Newcastle: Dubravka, Yedlin, Lascelles, Clark, Dummett,  Ritchie, Shelvey, Diame, Kenedy, Perez, Joselu. Subs: Ki, Schar,  Rondon, Muto, Manquillo, Darlow, Atsu.

Tottenham Hotspur: Lloris, Aurier, Sanchez, Vertonghen, Davies,  Dier, Sissoko, Lucas Moura, Eriksen, Alli, Kane. Subs:  Alderweireld, Son, Vorm, Walker-Peters, Llorente, Dembele, Amos.

Referee: Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire) 

11:34AM

Spurs team: and a strong one too.

Lloris (C), Aurier, Sanchez, Vertonghen, Davies, Dier, Sissoko, Eriksen, Dele, Lucas, Kane.

Harry Kane and Dele Alli start. Turning to their central defence, it's one in one out on the Belgian front: Jan Vertonghen plays, Toby Alderweireld is on the bench. World Cup winner Hugo Lloris is in.

Newcastle have signed seven this summer: Kenedy and Martin Dubravka start.

11:34AM

Here are the teams

11:31AM

Spurs started at Newcastle last season as well

And they enjoyed the trip. Jonjo Shelvey was sent off on 48 minutes, Dele Alli and Ben Davies scored second half goals to wrap up a 2-0 win.

11:20AM

What's going on with Newcastle?

Our man in the North East Luke Edwards breaks it down...

11:18AM

Pronunciation of 'Benitez' is lovely

11:16AM

Aye aye Rafa's in

11:12AM

Shirty business

11:03AM

Good morning and welcome to Newcastle vs Spurs

It's the first Saturday of the Premier League season, it's sunny, and all is right with the world. Well, actually, most things are wrong with the world but let's not trouble ourselves too much with that. We have a match this early lunchtime between two of the more intriguing clubs in the Premier League, neither of whom did all that much in the transfer window just past.

Newcastle seem to be hell-bent on being a punchline. The players have refused to fulfill media duties because of a row about bonuses, so it will be fun to see if they've got their TV walk-up shots done or not. And what Sky Sports, who televise this game, will do if they haven't.

Rafa Benitez, who expressed frustration about the club's sclerotic progress in the transfer market, has today called for unity between supporters and players. Protests are planned at St James' Park today, the target of their fury of course being the Newcastle head honcho Mike Ashley, whose unpopularity in the North East seems to grow and grow. 

Meanwhile, Spurs did basically zip in the transfer window, but their well-liked manager Mauricio Pochettino has put a brave face on things by saying that the players he has got are wonderful, brilliant, etc and why risk unsettling the squad? A canny approach but surely he would have liked to add one or two...

The players that both sides DO have will be doing battle shortly. Team news as soon as I have it, and then kick off is at 12.30pm.