Spurs will be desperate to turn the tide when they host Newcastle to kick off the first full Premier League weekend in 2025. It was a dismal end to last year for Ange Postecoglou’s side, with more pressure building on the manager following a run of just one win in the last seven top-flight matches. Their recent home form has been hugely disappointing and a combination of an ongoing injury crisis and sickness bug won’t help their chances today against in-form opponents.
Destiny Udogie has been added to Tottenham’s long absentee list, while third-choice Brandon Austin makes his debut in goal this afternoon with Fraser Forster ill and Guglielmo Vicario already out. They look set for another difficult challenge against a Newcastle team who have turned around a previously disappointing season to win four consecutive league matches and have defender Sven Botman finally back this weekend following long-term injury.
Both of these sides could be forgiven for having one eye fixed on huge Carabao Cup semi-final showdowns in midweek, but that shouldn’t detract from what is likely to be another thrilling contest in north London – Spurs are never boring. Follow Tottenham vs Newcastle live below!
Tottenham vs Newcastle latest news
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Kick-off time: 12.30pm GMT | Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
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How to watch: TNT Sports
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Tottenham team news: Austin makes debut in goal
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Newcastle team news: Botman starts on return
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Score prediction
Botman starts on Newcastle return
11:45
It’s straight back into the Newcastle starting lineup for Sven Botman today as he makes his first appearance since last March after a long-term ACL injury.
The Dutch defender partners Dan Burn as he replaces the suspended Fabian Schar.
Elsewhere for the Magpies, Kieran Trippier makes way for Tino Livramento at right-back in Eddie Howe’s only other change from Monday night’s 2-0 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Austin makes debut for depleted Tottenham
11:36 , George Flood
So Brandon Austin does indeed make his competitive Tottenham debut today with no Fraser Forster or Guglielmo Vicario, with Alfie Whiteman his back-up on the bench.
Djed Spence does replace the injured Destiny Udogie at left-back after suspension and Radu Dragusin and Archie Gray are passed fit to continue their makeshift central defensive pairing.
Lucas Bergvall is preferred to Yves Bissouma in midfield with James Maddison and Heung-min Son also only on the bench as Dejan Kulusevski takes the captain’s armband. Pape Matar Sarr also starts with Rodrigo Bentancur banned.
Timo Werner comes into the attack as another youngster in Malachi Hardy comes onto the bench.
Newcastle lineup
11:22 , George Flood
Newcastle XI: Dubravka, Livramento, Botman, Burn, Hall, Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton, Murphy, Isak, Gordon
Subs: Vlachodimos, Trippier, Kelly, Almiron, Willock, Longstaff, Miley, Barnes, Osula
Tottenham lineup confirmed
11:18 , George Flood
Tottenham XI: Austin, Porro, Dragusin, Gray, Spence, Bergvall, Sarr, Kulusevski, Johnson, Solanke, Werner
Subs: Whiteman, Reguilon, Dorrington, Hardy, Bissouma, Maddison, Olusesi, Son, Lankshear
Fit-again Botman in Newcastle squad after long absence
11:12
Early confirmation from Newcastle that the fit-again Sven Botman is indeed with the travelling squad today for the first time all season…
Who is Brandon Austin?
11:03 , George Flood
It will be fascinating to see if Brandon Austin does indeed play for Tottenham today.
The 26-year-old – an English-born former United States youth international – first joined Spurs in 2015 after spells as a youngster with both Watford and Chelsea.
He graduated from the academy and was handed a new contract until 2029 back in May, but has yet to make a single competitive appearance for Tottenham as their generally third-choice homegrown option between the posts.
Austin’s only experience of senior football so far came during a loan spell in Major League Soccer (MLS) with Orlando City back in 2021, having also spent time in Denmark with Viborg FF before that.
Tottenham paying over £10m for new goalkeeper Kinsky
10:48 , George Flood
Tottenham are reported to be paying around €15million plus add-ons for Slavia Prague goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky, with the Czech outfit also reportedly possessing a sell-on clause.
You presume he will be in attendance for this afternoon’s game at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Kinsky is a Czech Under-21 international who has also played for Dukla Prague as well as making 30 senior appearances so far for Slavia Prague after joining the club in 2021 and made his league debut last summer following loan spells with MFK Vyskov and FK Pardubice.
He is the son of Antonin Kinsky Snr, himself a former goalkeeper for the Czech Republic.
Maddison and Dragusin arrive with Tottenham squad
10:39
It looks like James Maddison and Radu Dragusin are both involved for Tottenham today…
#THFC players spotted arriving today
Heung-min Son, Radu Dragusin, Lucas Bergvall, Pape Matar Sarr, Yves Bissouma, Dominic Solanke, Brennan Johnson, Dejan Kulusevski, Sergio Reguilon, Timo Werner and James Maddison
— The Spurs Web (@thespursweb) January 4, 2025
Breaking news: Tottenham set to sign goalkeeper Kinsky
10:27 , George Flood
Some intriguing Tottenham transfer news has just broken ahead of today’s lunchtime clash with Newcastle.
Fabrizio Romano has backed up reports from the Czech Republic that Spurs are on the verge of signing goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky from Slavia Prague.
He says there is now a verbal agreement between all parties, with the 21-year-old already in London and set to undergo a medical after today’s game.
Some much-needed help in the goalkeeping department for Spurs with Guglielmo Vicario injured and Fraser Forster struggling with illness.
Tottenham vs Newcastle prediction
10:19 , George Flood
With Newcastle flying right now, it would hardly be a surprise to see them win convincingly this afternoon against a depleted Tottenham side to pile more pressure on Ange Postecoglou.
Newcastle to win, 2-0.
Early Newcastle team news: Botman could return
10:16 , George Flood
Newcastle could have Sven Botman back in their matchday squad today for the first time since March after a bout of illness delayed the Dutch defender‘s return from a long-term ACL injury.
However, fellow centre-back Fabian Schar is suspended after collecting another booking in Monday night’s impressive 2-0 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Nick Pope, Callum Wilson, Jamaal Lascelles and Emil Krafth are all still sidelined for the Magpies.
Early Tottenham team news: Austin could make debut
10:12 , George Flood
Tottenham’s lingering injury crisis has only got worse this week and has been compounded by a sickness bug in the squad that has left several more players uncertain.
There were reports last night that third-choice goalkeeper Brandon Austin will make his competitive Spurs debut today nine years after joining the club, with No2 Fraser Forster ill and first-choice stopper Guglielmo Vicario still injured.
Young defender Alfie Dorrington is also believed to be on standby if needed for his own maiden senior start.
Speculation has suggested that the likes of James Maddison, Radu Dragusin and Archie Gray are among the other players to have battled illness, though that is unconfirmed at this stage.
It would leave the under-fire Ange Postecoglou facing an absolute defensive nightmare, with Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero and Ben Davies all still out and Destiny Udogie now facing six weeks in the treatment room with the hamstring injury suffered in last week’s 2-2 draw with Wolves.
Djed Spence makes a timely return from suspension this afternoon, but Rodrigo Bentancur is banned again and none of Richarlison, Wilson Odobert or Mikey Moore are yet ready to return.
How to watch Tottenham vs Newcastle
10:06 , George Flood
TV channel: Today’s game will be broadcast live in the UK on TNT Sports 1 and TNT Sports Ultimate. Coverage starts at 11am GMT.
Live stream: TNT Sports subscribers will also be able to watch the contest on a live stream online via the Discovery+ app and website.
Tottenham vs Newcastle live
10:05 , George Flood
Good morning and welcome to live coverage of Tottenham vs Newcastle as both of these teams look to start 2025 with a bang in the first Premier League fixture of the weekend.
Spurs are desperately seeking an upturn in fortunes to begin a new calendar year after an eventful 2024 ended with a dire run of just one win in seven top-flight matches that has left them down in 11th place, though an ongoing, worsening injury crisis and sickness bug that has impacted the squad this week is not helping their prospects one bit as Ange Postecoglou hopes to ease some of the mounting pressure on his position.
Tottenham’s depleted squad are in for another tough assignment this afternoon against a Newcastle side who have hit a real purple patch to light up an otherwise disappointing campaign, vaulting up to fifth and in the thick of the Champions League race after reeling off four consecutive wins during which time they have scored 13 goals and conceded none.
Kick-off at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this afternoon is at 12:30pm GMT, with match build-up and team news on the way, plus live updates and expert analysis from Standard Sport’s chief football correspondent Dan Kilpatrick in north London.
