Man of the match: Rob Elliott (Newcastle United)
LONDON // To put a positive spin on things, Sunday’s 2-1 defeat to Newcastle United was Tottenham Hotspur’s first loss in the Premier League since a narrow 1-0 reverse to Manchester United on the opening day.
Mauricio Pochettino’s men remain just three points behind United and the Uefa Champions League places, and are well on course to fulfil their objectives this term.
Nevertheless, this was a major setback. Tottenham have now dropped nine points in their last five encounters, only one of which ended in victory.
While draws with Arsenal, West Bromwich Albion and Chelsea are far from bad results in isolation, a failure to push on and win certain matches has prevented Tottenham from being closer to the top of the table in this open Premier League season.
That was the case again on Sunday. Tottenham took the lead in the first period but were guilty of letting the game drift after the break, allowing Newcastle to complete a dramatic turnaround that could prove to be a turning point in their fight against relegation.
“In the second half we made some easy mistakes and didn’t kill the game,” Pochettino conceded. “At 1-0 up, you always give the opponent the opportunity to get back into it.”
Tottenham may have begun brightly in the opening stages, but it did not take long for Newcastle to get a foothold.
Steve McClaren’s side demonstrated a doggedness and resilience that has frequently been lacking this campaign.
Fabricio Coloccini and Chancel Mbemba looked solid in the heart of the backline and Jack Colback and Vurnon Anita making plenty of tackles and interceptions in front of them.
Moussa Sissoko and Georginio Wijnaldum were also key, driving the team up the pitch with some direct, purposeful running from midfield.
While Harry Kane dropped deep to link the play with some success, Tottenham’s attacking efforts were largely limited to long, hopeful balls forward.
When they were able to work the ball into dangerous areas, the final pass was often sloppy.
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A good 10-minute spell towards the end of the first half was rewarded with a goal.
Eric Dier powered a header past Rob Elliot from Christian Eriksen’s corner, but Tottenham failed to push on and build on their one-goal advantage after the interval.
Newcastle, who had won only one of their previous 14 Premier League encounters on the road, looked the more confident side despite the one-goal deficit.
Aleksandar Mitrovic’s equaliser was fully deserved, and it was ultimately difficult to begrudge the visitors dramatic late winner from Ayoze Perez.
The high-tempo and energy that characterise this Tottenham outfit was largely absent, with the hosts completely losing control in the second half.
It will be a concern for Pochettino, even if he would surely have accepted Tottenham’s current position if it was offered before the season began in August.
The hard-pressing style of play favoured by the Argentine is physically and mentally demanding, and Tottenham were simply unable to muster their usual intensity three days after Monaco were dispatched with verve in the Europa League.
The doubt about Tottenham has always been whether they have the squad to compete on multiple fronts.
It is too early to say whether that will prove the case, but this surprise defeat showed that there is still much work to be done if they are to finish in the top four this term.
Diego – Read more: Diego Forlan on Mancheser United's imperatives this year and the pain of a Champions League exit
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