Anthony Elanga opened the scoring for Newcastle United in a 2-0 Premier League win that leaves Tottenham Hotspur pointless and goalless after two matches. This was the Magpies’ 14th away win over Spurs, more than against any other opponent.
Elanga got Newcastle off to a lightning-fast start against Liverpool last week, and he threatened an immediate impact again here, worrying Antonin Kinsky with a cross that looped dangerously in the direction of the far post.
At the other end, Mathys Tel had the first effort of note for Spurs, cutting in and forcing a decent save from Lukas Hornicek. The Magpies suddenly found themselves clinging on, and Lewis Hall had to produce an exceptional last-ditch block to deny fellow full-back Pedro Porro.
The FIFA World Cup winning defender looked in the mood and flashed a volley narrowly over the bar after the ball broke to him on the edge of the box from a corner.
Two new signings then came close to combining from another corner, and Omar Marmoush should really have done better after being picked out by Andrew Robertson’s wicked delivery.
These dead balls continued to look like the likeliest route to a breakthrough, and Jan Paul van Hecke tested Hornicek before the end of the half, but the sides went in level.
The Spurs pressure continued after the restart, and Malick Thiaw could count himself fortunate not to concede a penalty for a rash lunge on Marmoush, before Rodrigo Bentancur nearly made something of the follow-up in any case.
Hall then renewed his personal quest to one-up Porro, taking on his own effort from outside the area and only just missing the target. Keeping the visitors on the front foot, Elanga rounded Kinsky, but in doing so, took the ball too close to the byline to knock into the unguarded net.
Marmoush continued to look lively on his debut, and flashed an effort narrowly wide after a positive driving run. However, the breakthrough finally came from Newcastle, and fellow debutant Nico Gonzalez was instrumental.
The former Manchester City man’s raking cross-field switch found Amar Dedic, who knocked the ball into the path of Elanga. The Swede still had plenty to do, but swivelled beautifully beyond none other than former teammate Sandro Tonali, before guiding his strike in off the post.
Roberto De Zerbi’s side responded, and Hornicek was required to keep out another long-range Porro effort.
But an acrobatic Yoane Wissa effort from yet another corner all but settled the contest, with a big miss from Marmoush in the closing stages dooming Spurs to a seventh defeat in their last nine league meetings with Newcastle.
It’s also the first time in 15 years the North London side have lost both of their opening league fixtures, a worrying omen on the back of consecutive 17th-placed finishes.
