TOTTENHAM 1-2 NEWCASTLE: Jacob Ramsey's second half winner condemened Spurs to another home defeat as they slipped closer to the Premier League relegation zone
Eddie Howe said on Monday that he'd step down as Newcastle boss if he didn't feel he was the right man for the job.
Thomas Frank should take a leaf out of his opposite number's book, though given Tottenham now have a 12-day break until the north London derby against Arsenal on February 22, he may not need to.
Goals in either half from Malick Thiaw and Jacob Ramsey - Archie Gray had equalised for Spurs - inflicted the damage as loud chants for fan-favourite Mauricio Pochettino bellowed out from the South Stand.
The home fans were also calling for Frank's head and it's about time Tottenham finally put the Dane out of his misery because the Europa League winners are in desperate need of a refresh and genuinely risk being dragged into the relegation dogfight.
They are still yet to win a Premier League match in 2026, it's now eight games without victory, and on the basis of recent evidence, you cannot say with any degree of certainty that they're too good or too big for the drop.
MAKE THE MIRROR YOUR FIRST CHOICE! Click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings
Newcastle had won just two of their past 15 top-flight away matches but this triumph appeared a formality from the very first whistle.
Rain-soaked Frank wore the look of a beaten man as he trudged off the pitch at full-time but regardless of whatever happens next, it's scandalous he did not receive substantial backing in the January transfer market.
Spurs had 11 first-team players unavailable for this defeat - 10 due to injury and captain Cristian Romero was suspended - and they've now lost Wilson Odobert to a serious-looking knee issue.
Tottenham's nervousness was apparent inside the opening exchanges when Anthony Elanga's corner bounced off the knee of Radu Dragusin and looped narrowly over the crossbar.
JOIN US ON FACEBOOK! Latest news, analysis and much more on Mirror Football's Facebook page
Guglielmo Vicario then flapped at a high ball he easily could have caught, sparking a chorus of boos.
The suffering did not stop there either for the Spurs supporters as Newcastle racked up an astonishing nine corners inside the opening 30 minutes.
Outside of a tame Dominic Solanke penalty shout, Tottenham spent the crux of the first half pinned back inside their own half and their desperation was compounded by Pape Matar Sarr being booked for a needless dive.
Minutes after Joe Willock looked to have opened the scoring - the goal was ruled out following a VAR review due to a fractional offside - Newcastle were deservedly ahead.
Thiaw met Willock's curling cross, his header was saved by Vicario but the German centre-back was on hand to steer home the rebound as Tottenham's backline pointed fingers at one another.
After Spurs weathered an early second-half storm, Elanga saw two penalty claims rebuffed, Archie Gray drew the hosts level. Xavi Simons, who was later booked for simulation, hung up a corner at the back post, Sarr nodded across goal and Gray turned in.
But Spurs' hope was short-lived as seconds after Conor Gallagher squandered a promising counter-attack, Ramsey restored Newcastle's lead with a sweeping finish after fine work from Anthony Gordon.
The hosts lacked the quality and self-belief required to find a leveller, though Micky van de Ven blasted over a golden opportunity to snatch a point at the death.
Incredibly, in the past 14 months, Tottenham have won more matches in Europe (12 of 18) than they have in the Premier League (11 from 49).
It would be an astonishing show of faith if Vinai Venkatesham did not now pull the trigger. Who would be willing to step into this mess is anyone's guess.