Ange praises 'physically and mentally better' Richarlison

AT THE DOUBLE: Tottenham's Richarlison celebrates. Pic: AP Photo/Ian Walton

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 4 (Udogie 26, Richarlison 38, 60, Son pen 85) NEWCASTLE UNITED 0 (Joelinton 90+2)

TOTTENHAM got back to winning ways with a bang as they blew away Newcastle in a pre-Christmas turkey shoot.

Spurs scored four but they could have had double figures against a Newcastle side who looked to be running on empty, and missed the chance to go above their hosts.

Questions had been asked of Ange Postecoglou and his uncompromisingly attacking style of play after four defeats and a draw in their past five games, but they bounced back in style and fully justified the manager's approach.

Destiny Udogie opened the scoring midway through the first half before Richarlison, back from surgery, scored twice and captain Heung Min Son added a fourth from the penalty spot. 

Joelinton pulled one back for Newcastle in stoppage time, but it was little consolation for a side that were well beaten.

Tottenham's lack of clinical finishing has cost them dear in recent weeks, and once again they missed a hatful of chances, but it mattered little, so poor were their opponents. Spurs were in control from start to finish, and got back on track for a crack at Champions League qualification, after slipping from top spot over the past five weeks.

Newcastle's own tilt at another top-four finish looks to be falling apart by a depleted squad and the distraction of the Champions League, with a must-win game against Milan to come on Wednesday. 

After being thrashed at Everton on Thursday, this was another heavy defeat, and Kieran Trippier had another poor game, easily beaten by Son on Tottenham's left wing for the first two goals. 

In the 28th minute, Son got past his former Spurs team-mate to the byline and cut the ball back for a close-range finish from Udogie, and it was a similar move that led to Richarlison's first goal, shortly before half-time.

The Newcastle captain was also booked and will now be suspended for their next league game, at home to Fulham next weekend. Eddie Howe says it has been difficult to rest the England defender. 

“When he’s part of your biggest attacking threat every week he’s a very difficult one to miss out.” 

Postecoglou had shifted Son wide in order to play Richarlison at number nine, and the Brazilian responded in style, scoring twice and going close on other occasions. 

“Richy was great, really important, just as he was at the start of the season too, but he wasn't fully fit then. You could tell he was restricted with his movements.

“At times we had to play him out wide just to get him through games. Since he's come back, it's fair to say he feels a lot better physically and I think that's helped him mentally as well. It was great for him to get two goals today, but it wasn't just his goals, it was his general work rate, energy and physicality.” 

Richarlison's second goal was a beauty, latching on to a superb diagonal pass from Pedro Porro before slotting the ball past Martin Dubravka.

When the Newcastle keeper fouled Son as he went around him in the closing stages, the Korean stepped up to put the resulting penalty past him for his tenth goal of the season. 

“Sonny really set the tone for us early on,” said Postecoglou.

“Whenever he got the ball he was really positive with it. That's what you need in terms of leadership and I think the rest of the lads fed off that. We were a lot more threatening in that front third than we have been (recently). I thought we got the goals we deserved and could have had a couple more at least."

The result means Tottenham stay in fifth place and close the gap on leaders Liverpool to seven points, while Newcastle remain seventh, 11 points off the top and struggling with injuries and suspension. 

As Howe reminded reporters: “It was only two games ago we beat Manchester United,” but his side need to rediscover that kind of form.

Postecoglou sympathised, pointing out Spurs had been “decimated” with injuries of their own.

“We're trying to build something here and part of that is, during the tough periods, to not allow the lads too much latitude in terms of excuses. But the reality is I have probably been too hard on them in retrospect. We got decimated after the Chelsea game, and it is no coincidence that now we are getting some players back, we are starting to look a lot stronger.

“I will not speak on Eddie Howe's behalf but I can see what he's going through and in this league, if you have one or two key players out, you're going to struggle.” 

TOTTENHAM (4-2-3-1): Vicario 7; Porro 7, Romero 7, Davies 7, Udogie 8; Sarr 8 (Hojbjerg 73), Bissouma 9 (Gil 89); Johnson 8 (Skipp 89), Kulusevski 8, Richarlison 9 (Lo Celso 73); Son 8 (Donley 89). 

NEWCASTLE (4-3-3): Dubravka 6; Trippier 5 (Krafth 86), Schar 6, Lascelles 5, Livramento 6 (Hall 74); Joelinton 6, Guimaraes 7, Miley 6; Almiron 6 (Longstaff 64), Isak 5 (Wilson 64), Gordon 6 (Ritchie 74). 

Referee: Chris Kavanagh 8/10