Two important Premier League clubs that, in recent years, have alternated in occupying the top spots of the table but who now, at the “halfway point”, are experiencing moments that can be defined as very different: we are talking about Tottenham and Newcastle who will face each other in London to open the second half of the season of this Premier League. The hosts are in a worse situation, having led these months marked by almost cyclical ups and downs with the widespread feeling of having a team that is worth much more than the eleventh place it currently occupies, while Eddie Howe's Newcastle is having a clear upward surge in their season, disappointing last year, shaky at the start of this one but sparkling at the end of 2024. The Magpies, however, prevailed in the first leg on what was the third day: a hard-fought 2-1 where, what made the difference, was the player who, also and above all now will take to the field as the most in form of the 22: Alexander Isak, who has scored twelve goals in seventeen Premier League games played and is the number one danger for the Spurs' defence, which has been very shaky lately.

Tottenham's shape and key statistics

Even with the two points vanished in extremis in the 2-2 draw against Wolves, Tottenham would have remained eleventh, therefore in a very disappointing position but the victory that vanished in the last round of the Premier League leaves some wounds for Spurs who are unable to restart.

7 victories (not many but not very few either) and 9 defeats (an enormous amount for a team like Tottenham) speak of an inconsistent team. This season, so far, Tottenham has lost 2 games in a row 4 times and has won at least 2 in a row 5 times which tells us of a team that is "in fits and starts".

The offensive department is certainly performing better, or rather, very well, scoring 2.16 goals per match while the defense is, at least lately, a sore point and the 10 goals considering Liverpool and Chelsea in the month of December are a heavy stain to "wash out".

Newcastle's form and key stats

The Magpies are, together with Nottingham Forest, the team in the best form at the moment in the Premier League: 4 consecutive victories that are worth the current fifth place in the standings with Chelsea, until a month ago very far away, now "in the crosshairs" (with three points). Considering also the League Cup, the consecutive victories become 5 and are embellished by the data of 1 single goal conceded!

The absence of Pope between the posts, therefore, has been replaced for now by an excellent Martin Dubravka who however has also had the help of a very performing defensive department that, always considering the last five, has only suffered 8 shots on target: less than 1 per game.

Looking at the attack, however, there is a duo that, lately, is shining at its best and that is naturally the one made up of Anthony Gordon and Alexander Isak with the first fantastic and lethal for the opponents with his assists (4 in the last 5) and the second, a killer in the goal area (8 goals in the Premier League in the month of December alone).

Match prediction and tactical overview

A well-performing attack since the beginning of the year (Tottenham) faces off against one that is overall more technically gifted but has only recently been shining at its best (Newcastle). In a match that also sees the odds on the possible winner being very close, BetMines' prediction therefore follows the best of the two teams but also the precedents considering that all the last 8 matches between Tottenham and Newcastle in the Premier League have ended with more than 2 goals and indicates Over 2.5 goals as its suggestion.

• The BetMines algorithm prediction for the Tottenham - Newcastle match predicts an Over 2.5 goals at 70%
• The BetMines algorithm prediction for the Tottenham - Newcastle match predicts an Under 2.5 goals at 30%

Tottenham - Newcastle predicted linueps

Tottenham (4-2-3-1): Forster; Pedro Porro, Dragusin, Gray, Spence; Bissouma, Sarr; Johnson, Kulusevski, Son; Solanke. Coach: Postecoglou.

Newcastle (4-3-3): Dubravka; Livramento, Kelly, Burn, Hall; Guimaraes, Tonali, Joelinton; Murphy, Isak, Gordon. Coach: Howe.