Who is going to finish in the top-four this season? Well, it’s a long and winding road, and a lot can happen, but we’ll learn a lot when Tottenham Hotspur welcomes Newcastle United to North London on Sunday. This is a match that will truly showcase who has/hasn’t the Champions League qualification credentials.
Spurs have 23 points through the first 11 games, having played one game more than both Chelsea (who currently sit three points behind them) and Manchester United (who are now four points behind Spurs). Fixture congestion will continue until the World Cup, so the order in the table will continue to remain a very fluid situation.
Tottenham vs Newcastle FYIs
Kick: Sunday, Oct 23 2022 4.30 PM Local Time
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London
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Starting XI Prediction: go here
Form Guide: Tottenham LLWWLW Newcastle WDWWD
Google Result Probability: Tottenham 46% Newcastle 27% Draw 27%
Team News for Both Sides
Newcastle have taken 18 points from their first 11 fixtures, and they enter this clash sitting sixth, and just two points outside the top four. So a win here would be huge for them, as it would signal an intent about their rebuilding project. For the Magpies, they have two key players who are a doubt: Joelinton (knee) and Allan Saint-Maximin (thigh).
Additionally, four of their players will be sidelined here: Matt Ritchie (calf), Emil Krafth (knee), club record signing Alexander Isak (thigh) and Karl Darlow (foot).
Flipping over to Spurs, Richarlison (calf) is a doubt, but at least his injury is not as serious as had been previously speculated. Dejan Kulusevski (thigh) is out of commission for this one. Should be riveting match.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank and author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” as well as “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune, and he co-hosts the After Extra Time podcast, part of Edge of the Crowd Network. Follow him and the website on Twitter and Instagram.