Warning Premier League clubs being "disadvantaged" by Brexit
- by Rene Duval
- in Sport
- — Aoû 12, 2018
7 - Mauricio Pochettino would probably have preferred to give more of his Russian Federation 2018 players longer to get fit before throwing them into a competitive fixture but, given the lack of options and need for Spurs to make a strong start to the season, his hands were tied.
Spurs will look pretty much identical to last season after becoming the first team in the Premier League era to not bring in a player during the summer transfer window.
And Mauricio Pochettino has piled on the praise for the likes of Hugo Lloris and Harry Kane, as well as goalscorers Jan Vertonghen and Dele Alli. Subscribe to our SMS sports service by texting "SPORTS" to 22840.
Yet, while Mike Ashley was nearly as reluctant to invest as counterpart Joe Lewis - and the owner faced huge protests before kick-off outside Sports Direct - Newcastle did make one astute signing in the form of Kenedy.
Ashley, the club's notoriously parsimonious billionaire owner, saw fit to spend £90 million (10.6 million euros, $11.5 million) on the ailing department store group House of Fraser. Meanwhile his Magpies posted a net transfer profit of £20 million, despite the arrival of seven new signings, the most expensive of which, Japanese worldwide forward Yoshinori Muto, cost £9.5m from German side Mainz.
With the game only eight minutes old, Vertonghen, fresh from Belgium's third-placed World Cup finish, gave the visitors the lead when his header against the underside of the crossbar was adjudged to have crossed the line by goal-line technology.
Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino has defended Harry Kane by saying his star striker can not score a hat-trick every week after a sluggish display against Newcastle on Saturday.
The lead lasted just three minutes as Joselu rewarded manager Rafael Benitez for his faith in picking him ahead of summer signings Rondon and Yoshinori Muto.
Tottenham's second goal was simple in its construction and should have been comfortably dealt with.
First, Matt Ritchie's wicked ball was converted by the head of Joselu for 1-1 three minutes later, while Alli nodded in at the far post (18) from Serge Aurier's fine delivery.
But Spurs would not be denied, with Alli coming through to restore their lead.
Newcastle's Slovakian keeper provided an even better stop to keep out a well-struck effort from Moussa Sissoko.
He took up a position on the left of midfield, regularly helping Ben Davies, and gained possession nine times for Spurs, more than any of his team-mates.
Tottenham held on for victory as they started the second-straight PL campaign with a victory at Newcastle.
