Newcastle have seen BTTS in all three of their matches since the international break, with Eddie Howe’s side registering two wins in this period against Everton and Manchester City. St James’ Park hasn’t quite been the fortress it usually is in the early parts of this campaign, with Newcastle conceding seven goals across their six home matches this season.

This is a must-not-lose game for Tottenham; a poor result and performance could spell the end for Thomas Frank, so we can expect them to throw caution to the wind at some point in this clash, especially if they are trailing in the contest. Tottenham’s best performances have come on the road this season; they’ve only managed to win one of their seven home games this term.

This record is flipped on its head when looking at their away displays, with Tottenham winning four of their six matches on the road and netting 13 goals in the process (2.16 per game). Tottenham should have really scored in the EFL Cup clash between the sides a few weeks ago at St James’ Park, where Newcastle ran out 2-0 winners. Tottenham had six shots on target on that occasion, which is a record that is likely to force a goal if they can reproduce it.

Newcastle are one of the strongest sides in the league when it comes to winning fouls, with the Magpies drawing 135 fouls across their 13 Premier League matches this term (10.38 per game). They’ve drawn 2+ cards from their opponents in seven of those games, and Tottenham come to St James’ Park in poor form, which could lead to real frustration.

Tottenham picked up three yellow cards and committed 10 fouls on their most recent trip to St James’ Park in the EFL Cup, with Newcastle running out 2-0 winners on that occasion. Tottenham have picked up 32 yellow cards in the Premier League this season (2.46 per game) - the 3rd-highest tally in the division.

They’ve picked up 2+ cards in 10 of their 13 Premier League matches this term, only failing to do so in their three comfortable victories - against Burnley, West Ham and Everton. Newcastle should be able to continue to frustrate Thomas Frank’s side, who look to be on the verge of a complete breakdown after falling to another home defeat, against Fulham, last time out.

Woltemade is one of my favourite players to watch in Europe at the moment. His unique profile means that he does things that very few other strikers can do, having the poise of a technical midfielder but maintaining the size of a proper number nine.

We saw his best side in Newcastle’s 4-1 win over Everton last time out, where he had two shots on target and was invaluable to the Magpies with his hold-up play. This was crucial to winning the corner that Newcastle scored from early on in the contest, setting the mood for the rest of the clash.

Woltemade has had 19 shots across his 10 Premier League appearances (2.16 per 90) with eight of those attempts finding the target (0.91 per 90). This record should improve now that Newcastle are getting some of their key players back - I always think the Magpies are at their best when Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento, play as they can support their wingers and feed crosses to Woltemade in the box.

Tottenham always look much better on the ball when Bentancur plays. He isn’t quite at the level where he can control games for Tottenham, but at the very least he gives Tottenham the ability to control the game, which was something that was desperately lacking in their 2-1 defeat to Fulham last time out.

He’s committed seven fouls in the Premier League this season (0.83 per 90), but he’s far more aggressive than this metric would suggest. Bentancur has picked up two yellow cards across just nine Premier League starts, after picking up nine yellow cards across 21 Premier League starts last term. He averaged 1.85 fouls committed per 90 in the Premier League last season, which is more in keeping with his aggressive nature.

Tottenham rank 5th in the Premier League for fouls per game (11.8) and committed 10 fouls in their most recent trip to St James’ Park in the EFL Cup. Bentancur started on that occasion, making more tackles than any other player (three) and committing one foul from six duels. 

Palhinha has been one of the few Tottenham players that has performed well this season, with the 30-year-old reassuming the role he filled so well for Fulham when he was last in the Premier League.

He’s one of Thomas Frank’s more trusted players, and his experience could prove invaluable in what is set to be quite a difficult test for Tottenham. Palhinha has committed 11 fouls across his 12 Premier League starts this term (0.98 per 90), which is a metric that doesn’t line up with how aggressive the Portuguese is when flying into challenges.

He’ll be up against a Newcastle midfield which is very strong when it comes to winning fouls. Bruno Guimaraes is one of the most consistently fouled players in the Premier League, with numbers comparable to Jack Grealish (2.26 fouls won per 90). Palhinha will also have to deal with Joelinton, who also has a promising fouls won average of 1.30 per 90.

Tottenham are averaging 11.8 fouls committed per game in the Premier League this season and will be on the back foot for quite a lot of the encounter here as they enter the game on the back of three straight defeats, leaving their confidence at an all-time low under Thomas Frank.

This could get ugly for Tottenham, and they’ve been here before. Newcastle have registered some commanding results against Tottenham at St James’ Park in recent seasons, and this could be the latest embarrassment. Spurs have lost their last three trips to the Toon Army in the Premier League, conceding 12 goals in the process.

While Tottenham aren’t as open as they were under Ange Postecoglou for those defeats, recent losses have unearthed a defensive vulnerability that suggests that the Tottenham players aren’t quite buying into Frank’s approach. You can see this in the body language of the Tottenham players and the infighting that has occurred quite a few times already following a defeat. 

Newcastle are in their best period of the season, having won back-to-back Premier League matches for the first time with solid victories against Everton and Manchester City. They can add to the misery Tottenham are suffering at the moment, Spurs have conceded 4+ goals in each of their last two away matches - against PSG and Arsenal.

Kudus is another Tottenham player whose performances this season have deserved more. He’s been carrying Tottenham on his own at times this season, and scored their goal against Fulham in their 2-1 defeat to the Cottagers last time out.

Kudus is having to perform a role which he isn’t really suited to, as Thomas Frank demands defensive work from his forward players. He isn’t the best with the timing of his challenges, and Tottenham’s lack of creativity means that he’s often left to chase down lost causes on his own - leading to frustration.

Kudus has picked up three yellow cards across his 12 starts in the Premier League this term, and will brush shoulders with Lewis Hall here, who was fouled four times in one game earlier in the season and had a very bright cameo in Newcastle’s most recent home game as they ran out 2-1 winners over Manchester City.