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Newcastle United 2 Tottenham 1

Gary Speed had fired the Tynesiders ahead with 17 minutes gone and the points looked to be safe when Shearer headed home Craig Bellamy's cross 13 minutes after the break.

But an own goal from substitute Nikos Dabizas, who spectacularly headed Teddy Sheringham's cross past Shay Given, ensured a nail-biting last 17 minutes.

The victory was all the more impressive as United started the second half having used all three of their substitutions as Speed, Nolberto Solano and Kieron Dyer all departed prematurely through injury.

Spurs defender Christian Ziege will undergo further medical procedure today as he continues his recovery from an emergency operation which could well have saved his right leg and his career.

The German international will have a 10-inch wound in his leg closed after his thigh muscle swelled to twice its normal size following a knock in Thursday's 2-2 draw with Charlton.

Ziege missed the defeat at Newcastle after being rushed to hospital in agony hours after being sent-off late in the Charlton game.

His season could well be over, although boss Glenn Hoddle admitted it could have been much, much worse.

"Christian has had an emergency operation on Boxing Day evening after what was a dead leg," he said. "We didn't worry about it after the game.

"There is a medical term for it decompartmentalisation of the muscle is the problem and it grew to double the size, the leg, and he had to have this emergency operation.

"First and foremost was to get Christian in and dealt with because there were complications with the blood supply, and that can be very dangerous.

"That was always our first concern, and fortunately through Christian phoning our doctor and getting hold of it very quickly, it saved any sort of...well, I wouldn't like to go to the next part, but he's okay, he's had an operation and he'll be dealt with tomorrow.

"He's having the second part of the leg seen to. The muscle has grown to double the size and the pressure on it obviously stops the supply of blood and it had to be released.

"He's got a 10-inch scar now. He had to have it slit and released, but it's had to be kept open until the muscle goes down. It's one of those that can only be closed up whenever the right time is."

Hoddle admitted Ziege's loss with be a blow, but insisted the German's health is the most important thing.

"I'm not concerned," he said. "It's a big blow football-wise, but first and foremost, it's his health that's more important.

"That will always come first in front of football, but I would think it would be very difficult for him to return before the end of the season, but the major thing is that he's okay."

Bobby Robson was delighted with the win, but it came at a huge cost as he lost midfield trio Gary Speed, Kieron Dyer and Nolberto Solano to injury by half-time.

Speed is likely to undergo surgery on a hernia problem this week which will sideline him for six weeks, while Dyer faces a scan on a calf problem which serves as a chilling reminder of his injury history.

On an eventful day for United midfielders Frenchman Laurent Robert made a brief unscheduled visit to the press room following the final whistle to confront a local journalist Solano was left concussed after a clash with Mauricio Taricco, but it is Speed who remains the biggest concern.

"I would guarantee that Gary Speed will have an operation this week for a hernia, and it looks as though he's out for six weeks," Robson said.

"Kieron Dyer is due for a scan tomorrow on a calf condition which was very sore. It was pounding and he was in a lot of pain at half-time.

"Nobby is in hospital having an X-ray. He was concussed, he didn't know who he was he never does, so that's not unusual! But we need to check it out to see what happens to him now."

NEWCASTLE: Given, Hughes, O'Brien, Caldwell, Bernard, Solano (LuaLua 45), Dyer (Dabizas 45), Speed (Jenas 23), Robert, Shearer, Bellamy.

TOTTENHAM: Keller, Perry, Bunjevcevic, King, Carr, Poyet (Sheringham 68), Freund, Davies, Taricco, Keane (Acimovic 79), Iversen (Ferdinand 68).