Newcastle United's striker Alexander Isak scored a straightforward tap-in to secure a 2-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur, as the Magpies held off a strong second-half push from the visitors to claim the win in an exciting Premier League match at St James' Park on Sunday.
Harvey Barnes had put Newcastle ahead in the first half, but his goal was equalized by a Dan Burn own goal after the break. Tottenham dominated the second half and created several opportunities but failed to convert them. The hosts struck back with a swift counter-attack.
Joelinton's perfectly timed pass found Jacob Murphy, who, after drawing out Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, squared the ball for Isak to finish and secure the win for Eddie Howe's team, who remain unbeaten at home since January.
Additionally, Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali made his first league appearance since receiving a 10-month ban for a betting rules breach and was warmly welcomed by the home fans.
Newcastle now have seven points from their first three games, while Tottenham are on four.
Isak told Sky Sports, "We didn’t expect to have much of the ball. We aimed to be dangerous on the counter-attack. It wasn’t our best game, but we defended well and scored two goals, so that’s positive. Staying focused is crucial; it’s easy to get frustrated. It was a tough match and I wasn’t at my sharpest."
Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou lamented the result but was pleased with his team's performance, noting, "It slipped away from us. We had chances to win the game, probably quite comfortably, but ended up with nothing, which is disappointing."
Isak had an early chance that hit the woodwork before Newcastle took the lead against the run of play in the 37th minute. Lloyd Kelly’s quick throw-in led to a low cross from the left, which Barnes expertly guided into the far corner.
Tottenham equalized when Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope mishandled a James Maddison shot, pushing the ball to Brennan Johnson, whose attempt was inadvertently scored by Burn.
Despite continued pressure from Tottenham, Newcastle found the winning goal through Joelinton’s vision and Murphy’s composure to set up Isak.
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