Tottenham Hotspur vs Newcastle United: Three key battles

Tottenham Hotspur will have a difficult test to face in Anthony Gordon. The Everton academy graduate is one of the most dangerous wide forwards on English shores. The thing is he is not only rapid but also has that directness and will to take on his man.

Every time Gordon has the ball, he is looking to exploit spaces in behind.

Ideally the England international will be looking to stay wide and look to burst beyond Porro when space is available. He will be looking to combine through the middle of the park for the Toons and maybe with the forwards when he gets those spaces between the lines.

While he will have Porro on the other side. The Spaniard is not your conventional full back. He is not the one to sit deep and play it safe. He always is almost looking to put that attaching intent and show his abilities on tue front foot.

But come tomorrow, Porro will need to be wary of his positional discipline, and he needs to avoid being dragged too far forward at the wrong moment. This does not mean that he takes away his attacking intent for defensive responsibility, but he surely needs to find a balance.

Bruno Guimaraes vs Joao Palhinha

Bruno Guimaraes has been an engine in the middle of the park for the Toons. He reads the game well and is the key connector between defence and attack for tomorrow’s hosts. The thing is, he not only passes, but he also has this drive when going forward any time he sees space.

And like he always does, he would be looking to use space. Ideally, find pockets between the lines and link up with his wingers. This would be enough to keep Tottenham’s midfield unsettled, even if Frank deploys a mid-block.

This is where Palhinha comes in. He should be the base of the Lilywhites’ midfield. And he will be tasked with stopping transitional situations and also providing that cover in front of the defensive line.

But he will have to stay alert to the Toons’ switches. And then do the gritty work when needed, especially when he is in direct duels with Bruno.

Mohammed Kudus vs Kieran Trippier

Kudus gives Tottenham a different kind of attacking threat . He has that capacity to drift on the inside while creating overloads. Thomas Frank has used this to unlock defences before and he can do so again tomorrow. The former West Ham forward is known to be a bit unpredictable and that only makes it difficult for Trippier. Given how he likes to dribble with the ball, he is a very difficult winger to defend.

While Trippier is a defensive intelligence right‑back. And given his experience, he has that ability to go into these kinds of duels, keeping his man in check.