An Emmanuel Adebayor double sent Tottenham Hotspur right back into Champions League contention as Spurs beat a lacklustre Newcastle United 4-0 at St James’ Park, on a miserable evening in the North East.
Newcastle were trying to rnd a barrent run of games, with the Magpies leaking six goals in two games, with 3-0 defeats against fierce rivals Sunderland, and a defeat on Saturday down at Chelsea, as an Eden Hazard hat-trick sent Newcastle packing.
Tottenham started well, with Moussa Dembele set up Adebayor, who skipped his man and fired just past Krul’s far post.
Brazilian Paulinho then beat Santon to a lose ball, before stinging the hands of Krul with a rasping drive from long range.
Newcastle had a chance after 15 minutes, as Pappis Cisse lashed wide of Lloris’s far post, following neat build up play from new recruit, Luuk De Jong.
Spurs recent revival under manager Sherwood continued as Adebayor put Newcastle to the sword, and it wasn’t long before the Togolease centre forward scored his first.
Sherwood’s faith in Adebayor was repaid by the striker, who put Spurs into the lead on 19 minutes.
Youngster Bentaleb beat Mike Williamson, and hit a dipping effort towards the bottom corner, which was palmed away by keeper Krul, however, Adebayor was on hand to tap home from around six yards out, to give Spurs a deserved lead.
Lloris then had to be at his best to keep out Santon, then the French keeper had to smother a Luuk De Jong goal-bound curler.
Aaron Lennon shot into the side netting, before Kyle Walker fizzed a rather teasing ball into a crowded area, however, Mike Williamson got to the ball before the advancing Aaron Lennon.
Up the other end, Cisse tried an ambitious cgip over the back tracking Lloris, however to Spurs shot stopper covered well.
Jan Vertonghan the saw his header go inches wide, as Spurs looked for a second before the break.
However, they found a second after the break, on 52 minutes.
Bentaleb twisted and turned his man, before Adebayor collected the ball and smashed the ball at Krul, who fumbled the ball into the path of Paulinho, who stabbed home to make it 2-0, with Krul feeling he should have done better.
Mathieu Debuchy and Yoan Gouffran both tested Lloris, but once again the keeper thwarted the Geordies.
Newcastle, still smarting from the loss of Cabaye hardly really had a go at Spurs, with Dembele, and then Townsend mopping up lose balls.
Tim Sherwood took charge in late December, following the sacking of Villas Boas, the north London side have won seven and lost just one of their 10 league games, taking 23 points out of 30.
Adebayor, left in the cold by previous manager Andre Villas-Boas, has flourished under Sherwood.
Spurs made the game safe with two late goals in the last eight minutes.
Adebayor found a classy second as he volleyed the ball past a helpless Krul after 82 minutes , with boo’s ringing round the historic St James’, Nacir Chadli then completed the rout after taking a touch and thumping in a driven effort from outside the area past Krul.
All in all a good win for Tottenham, as they go marching on.
By Ben Reardon
@BenReardon1
