A look at the pundit predictions for Tottenham’s Premier League clash with Newcastle United.
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Tottenham are back in action on Tuesday night when they face Newcastle United in an interesting clash between two sides who have been struggling to live up to expectation this season. Spurs are firmly in the bottom half, and pressure continues to build on Thomas Frank.
Eddie Howe has a bigger runway given his work over recent years, but Newcastle United are also in the bottom half and in danger of missing out on Europe this season. They come into this one on the back of a home defeat to Brentford.
Ahead of a clash between two sides who are in desperate need of a big win, we have rounded up the pundit predictions from BBC Sport’s Chris Sutton and SportsKeeda’s Paul Meerson.
Paul Merson
“Both Tottenham and Newcastle desperately need a response, don't they? They're not bad teams. But I feel they've both been let down at times by their best players! There is no justification for what Cristian Romero did against Manchester United on Saturday. It was ridiculous from him to get sent off. This isn't the first time Romero has let Spurs down and as long as he keeps playing, it won't be the last either.
“If the uncertainty around Sandro Tonali's future was a concern for Newcastle, now they also have to deal with his poor run of form. I also don't understand why his agent had to come out and talk publicly about his client's future in the midst of all this. It just adds more pressure on Tonali.
“This game is a football pundit's nightmare. You can predict one thing and the result could really embarrass you in the end! I can definitely see goals here, but I'm going for a draw. Prediction: Tottenham Hotspur 2-2 Newcastle United.”
Chris Sutton
“Tottenham captain Cristian Romero let his manager down with his red card against Manchester United, and now he is facing a four-game ban. It's fine for Romero to be a motor mouth on social media, calling the club's recruitment "disgraceful", but he clearly needs to concentrate on his own game because he has been wild in the challenge again.
“For a manager like Thomas Frank, who is under pressure, that is the last thing you need. Poor old Eddie Howe is feeling the heat at Newcastle too, though. We had callers in to 606 at the weekend saying it is time for a change - my reaction was 'what!?'.
“I really don't get that thinking at all, and not just because Howe's the guy who ended their long wait for a trophy, less than a year ago.His squad is stretched now because of the Champions League and their run to the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup, and he also had everything around Alexander Isak's exit to deal with at the start of the season, when it wasn't his doing.
“Howe just hasn't been able to replace Isak, either. Yoane Wissa has taken a while to get up and running and Nick Woltemade is very different to Isak in that he likes to come to the ball all the time. People are saying a change of voice might help, but what about backing the guy who has given you so much happiness? I don't understand why you'd want him out.
“This is a very difficult game to predict for various reasons, but we do know Spurs are poor at home and Newcastle aren't great away. I still think someone will win it, but I am going to sit in the middle anyway, and go for a draw. Prediction: 1-1.”