Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United have four points from their first two Premier League games ahead of their showdown at St James’ Park on Sunday.
Tottenham brushed aside Everton 4-0 to get their first win of the season last weekend after playing out a 1-1 draw against newly-promoted Leicester City on opening day.
On the other hand, Newcastle drew 1-1 against Bournemouth last weekend after beating Southampton 1-0 in their first game of the season despite going down to ten men.
With both teams gunning for a place in the top four, the game promises to be an exciting contest.
And Paul Merson believes Newcastle will get an important victory in front of their home fans to build on their strong start to the season.
Paul Merson predicts Newcastle United to beat Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur Manager Ange Postecoglou during the Premier League match between Leicester City and Tottenham Hotspur at King Power Stadium on Au…
Photo by Plumb Images/Leicester City FC via Getty Images
Despite hailing their 4-0 win against Everton as ‘brilliant,’ Merson feels Spurs’ away form is a definite cause for concern.
“Tottenham had a brilliant result when they beat Everton 4-0 last weekend. But I’m backing Newcastle to win this one,” Merson wrote in his column for Sportskeeda.
“This is a real test for Spurs, especially considering they’re playing away from home.
“In the past, I’ve seen Tottenham getting destroyed on the road in this particular fixture, so it’s a big test for them psychologically as well.”
The Arsenal legend pinpointed Tottenham’s second-half struggles against Leicester as a problem, adding that a rollicking atmosphere at St James’ Park will propel the home side to a 2-1 win.
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Merson continued: “The fans at St James’ Park will definitely be up for this game. It’ll be a different atmosphere there on Sunday.
“Tottenham have a lot to lose here and if they come out of this test unscathed, it’ll be a huge positive for them.
“That second-half performance against Leicester did not really impress me and that is exactly why I feel Newcastle could beat them in this clash.”
Both sides have injury concerns
Ange Postecoglou confirmed at a press conference that Dominic Solanke and Richarlison are out injured, while Rodrigo Bentacur is back in contention.
Newcastle will be without Callum Wilson and Lewis Miley, while Joe Willock faces a race against time to prove his fitness after limping out of the Magpies’ Carabao Cup win against Nottingham Forest.
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Sandro Tonali’s return is set to be a massive boost for Eddie Howe, with the Italy international playing his first game for the club against Forest after serving his ten-month suspension.
Neither of the two sides have fully fit squads, but they have enough quality in their ranks to ensure a competitive game of football.
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