Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur played out a dramatic 2-2 draw at St. James’ Park on Tuesday night.
Newcastle came close to breaking the deadlock in the 34th minute. Joelinton broke down the right and fired a shot across the Tottenham goal, beating Guglielmo Vicario but only managing to find the post. However, neither team was able to open the scoring in what was a tense first half.
The hosts did eventually go ahead in the 70th minute. Anthony Gordon burst down the left flank before playing in Bruno Guimaraes, who was introduced as a half-time substitute. Guimaraes lined up his strike and fired past Vicario to put his side into the lead. Tottenham equalised within 10 minutes, though. Mohammed Kudus made space on his left foot before crossing into the box. Cristian Romero dove and headed the ball past Aaron Ramsdale to make the score 1-1.
Newcastle, though, would go ahead again in the 85th minute courtesy of a penalty from Anthony Gordon. Referee Tom Bramall gave the spot kick after an on-field review showed Dan Burn was pulled to the ground by Rodrigo Bentancur during a corner. However, Romero would level the match for a second time after hitting a brilliant overhead kick from a corner in the 95th minute.
Here, The Athletic’s Chris Waugh and Jack Pitt-Brooke break down the game.
How important was captain Romero?
Tottenham needed a saviour at St James’ Park.
They have had a difficult time of it recently, and Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at home to Fulham was a painful night, driving a wedge between the fans and the team. Step forward, Cristian Romero, Tottenham’s talismanic captain, to deliver a remarkable performance, scoring two late goals to help Spurs rescue a point.
First, it was a diving near-post header from a Kudus cross to make it 1-1. And then, three minutes into added time, a quite brilliant overhead kick through a crowded penalty area to make it 2-2.
He celebrated with passion and energy down below the travelling Spurs fans. It felt as if he was reminding them what a special player and leader he is.
And given how painful another defeat would have been, it felt like a potentially significant moment for Tottenham’s season.
Jack Pitt-Brooke
Newcastle fail to win without Bruno Guimaraes starting (again)
Newcastle do not win Premier League matches when Bruno Guimaraes does not start. That has been the case since he made his full top-flight bow for the club at Southampton in March 2022, and it remains the case now.
Across the previous 139 matches, Guimaraes had started 130 of them, with Newcastle winning 69. Compared to the nine matches in which Guimaraes has been absent from the XI, Newcastle’s win percentage (53.1 per cent to 0 per cent), average goals for (1.9 to 0.6), goals against (1.2 to 1.6), and points per game (1.8 to 0.6) all significantly improved whenever their captain started. There had been five draws and four losses, including a stalemate at Bournemouth in September.
Having rested Sandro Tonali at Everton on Saturday, Howe restored the Italian in place of Guimaraes, with the head coach determined to protect his best players as Newcastle navigate a hectic fixture schedule.
After a relatively bright start for Newcastle, the game became scrappy and the first half was drab. At the interval, Tonali departed, which was a worrying sign, and Guimaraes was introduced, with his first contribution being a crossfield ball out of play.
But he soon grew into the game, delivering a couple of delicious set pieces, before playing a sublime pass in behind the Spurs defence to release Jacob Murphy on the counter.
Then, in the 71st minute, Anthony Gordon burst down the left, centred to Nick Woltemade, who flicked the ball back. A late-arriving Guimaraes curled a gorgeous shot into the bottom right-hand corner for his 12th goal involvement in his last 20 Premier League home games for Newcastle.
For the first time, Newcastle appeared destined to win a Premier League match Guimaraes had not started, and courtesy of the Brazilian himself. Yet Romero’s equaliser thwarted that quirk from becoming reality, and their inability to win without their skipper starting remains.
Chris Waugh
How did Tottenham’s fans respond to Vicario?
The defining moment of Saturday night — indeed, one of Spurs’ season so far — was fans in the south stand booing Guglielmo Vicario after his mistake allowed Harry Wilson to score for Fulham from distance.
Thomas Frank said afterwards how disappointed he was with that behaviour, which appeared to drive a wedge between the crowd and the team. But here at St. James’ Park, the Spurs away end were clearly behind the Italian goalkeeper, repeatedly chanting his name.
It helped that Vicario played well, making a save from Lewis Miley in the first half and then reacting well to save from Harvey Barnes early in the second half. This led to another chorus of his name from the Spurs contingent high up in the Leazes End, and another after a good save from Tino Livramento from distance.
It was a reminder perhaps that even after the frustration of Saturday night, Vicario, now in his third season at Tottenham, still has some credit in the bank, especially with the die-hard away support.
Jack Pitt-Brooke
Was this Gordon’s best performance of 2025?
Neither of Newcastle’s goal scorers started. Both came on and changed the direction of the match.
Gordon was introduced in the 66th minute alongside Anthony Elanga, with Harvey Barnes and Jacob Murphy replaced as Howe switched his wingers.
It has been a curious calendar year for Gordon, who has had two brainless red cards that have contributed to his stuttering form. The 24-year-old had not scored or assisted in the Premier League since January, yet has four goals and an assist in five Champions League appearances this season.
This was his ninth Premier League appearance of the campaign and, having also been left on the bench against his former club Everton at the weekend, Gordon looked bright from the moment he was introduced. He played an influential role in Guimaraes’ opener, before scoring the winner from the spot.
Having argued with Woltemade over taking a penalty at Union Saint-Gilloise in October, Gordon initially held on to the ball after referee Tom Bramall awarded a spot kick for a foul on Dan Burn following a VAR review. Woltemade then assumed possession of the ball temporarily, before giving it back to Gordon, and the winger dispatched it emphatically.
Frustratingly, Newcastle conceded a second equaliser, so Gordon’s goal did not prove to be a winner, but having the England winger providing goal contributions again can only be welcomed. A greater end product is required from Gordon.
Chris Waugh
What did Eddie Howe say?
He admitted his disappointment, saying: “I think we’re hugely frustrated with ourselves really. That was a game where we had to work really hard for the first goal.
“I thought we were the dominant team and knocking on the door all through the first half, the goal came when it came, and I felt then we were in a strong position, having been relatively comfortable defensively, to then concede the two goals in the way that we did, in the manner that we did. It’s hugely disappointing because we pride ourselves on being better than that defensively.”
What did Thomas Frank say?
Frank heaped praise on Romero, initially joking: “The perfect bicycle kick, hit the shin, aiming for the bottom corner.”
He continued: “I think let’s start praising Cuti, I think he deserved that for all of the top performance, defending, on the ball, coolness, calmness, duels. And then getting up there and scoring two goals. I think the bicycle kick will most likely get a little bit more praise, but I think the header is more exceptional, the way he does that is better than many strikers.”
And Frank added: “That said, I think I really liked the character, the mentality in the team, what they showed after three tough games, I think it’s been. To go here, the fourth game in 10 days, the third away game, very difficult place, going down two times, being behind two times, and come back, it shows everything about the willingness and the mentality in the team.”
What next for Newcastle?
Saturday, December 6: Burnley (Home), Premier League, 3pm UK, 10am ET
What next for Tottenham?