Newcastle United 2-2 Tottenham Hotspur: There was late drama at St James’ Park as Eddie Howe’s side conceded a last-minute equaliser.
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Newcastle United conceded a 95th-minute equaliser against Tottenham Hotspur after taking the lead just nine minutes earlier.
The Magpies thought they were on course to victory after Anthony Gordon slotted away a 86th-minute penalty that was controversially awarded by VAR. Bruno Guimaraes had given the home side the lead at St James’ Park before Cristian Romero headed Spurs level.
Romero then popped up deep in stoppage time with an overhead kick which ended up bouncing through a body of players and into the goal. For Tottenham, justice for the penalty; for Newcastle, more points dropped late on.
Romero’s equaliser alone cost Newcastle two points but also was the difference between the side ending the day seventh with a win and 13th with a draw.
When that fact was put to Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe after the game, he responded: “Not sure I needed to hear that!
“The league is so tight, we know that and that's why three consecutive wins was our target tonight and we were a few minutes from getting it but I suppose that's the Premier League, that's what makes it the league that it is, that's what makes football so dramatic and why we're all obsessed by it so you have to take the rough with the smooth.
“We've felt a bit of pain in these moments before this season, we've got to try and get on the right side of them.”
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Newcastle United’s unwanted record
Newcastle have conceded five goals in the 90th minute or later this season while also dropping a league high 11 points from winning positions.
Newcastle conceded late winners against Liverpool and Arsenal at St James’ Park this season and now a late equaliser against Spurs.
“Well, I think you can look back at each moment and sort of identify a mistake or a part of the team not doing its job,” Howe reflected. “So the job for us is to obviously coach the team to be better in those situations and that's what we'll endeavour to do but sometimes it becomes psychological, sometimes it becomes a fear of conceding and then you do concede, there's so much that goes into it but we've got to find ways when we're in front to be better and usually our best form of defence is to attack and I encourage us to do that all the time.
“Sometimes you have to accept that you're not in that position in the game to do it and you just have to see it out and defend better. I think today was one of those moments and we didn't do it.”
In contrast, The Magpies have not picked up a single point after going behind in a game or scored a goal in stoppage time.
“I think it's definitely a failing, you can't sit here and go, I can't sit here and go, everything's okay in that respect, it's happened too many times this season, that doesn't mean we can't figure it out and put it right very quickly,” Howe added.
“Today's really a set piece, it's a moment and those moments happen in football, they've been on the other end of it at times and individual errors usually from set plays hurt you and that's what happened.”
Black Cats purring ahead of derby clash
Newcastle travel to Sunderland next week for the hotly anticipated Tyne-Wear derby clash at the Stadium of Light.
Sunderland have made a strong start on their return to the Premier League, characterised by coming from behind and scoring late goals.
While Newcastle have not picked up any points from losing positions this season, Sunderland have secured a league high 12 points while their stoppage time goals also rank among the highest in the division with four.
The contrasting stats between the two clubs will certainly give Sunderland some confidence heading into the derby as they look to avoid a repeat of the 3-0 defeat from the previous meeting between the sides at the Stadium of Light in 2024.