Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has dealt expertly with all challenges placed in front of him since arriving on Tyneside, but is now facing his biggest at the worst possible time.
Howe will know plenty outside St James’ Park will be reaching for the world’s smallest violin to play any tunes of sympathy after Newcastle’s revival under Saudi Arabian ownership led them into this season’s Champions League.
Sympathy from outsiders will not be in short supply. It will be non-existent. Howe will know that, so will not bother asking for any.
There is no getting away, however, from the fact he has been hit by a devastating list of injuries as Newcastle try to keep their Champions League hopes alive when AC Milan arrive on Wednesday night and with a big EFL Cup quarter-final at Chelsea on the horizon.
Richarlison scores twice as Spurs thump Newcastle
This is not an excuse for Newcastle’s second heavy away Premier League defeat in succession, but certainly provides context.
The warning signs started to flash at Everton on Thursday when they were hunted down and overpowered 3-0 at Goodison Park. It continued at Tottenham when Newcastle carried all the appearance of a team running on empty just when they need to be energised.
Howe’s predicament was starkly illustrated by the fact this was the same 10 outfield players starting a fifth successive game. It clearly showed as Newcastle, who significantly started each half brightly, were eventually run ragged and looked completely exhausted at the conclusion of a comprehensive 4-1 defeat.
“The last two have been tough games, not us at our best,” Howe told BBC Sport. “Physically we looked fatigued today and there was not much we could do about it.
“We’ll look at the game and try to analyse it properly to work out who to select on Wednesday. We’re not aflush with options.”
Howe was, at least, able to return two experienced first-teamers to the fray from the bench in Callum Wilson and Sean Longstaff.
This will be welcome but, make no mistake, this is a squad struggling badly.
He now has just two full days to get Newcastle in shape for the meeting with seven-time European champions AC Milan – a game they need to win to give themselves any chance of reaching the group stage.
The heavy workload, with Howe unable to shuffle his resources around, has even caught up with someone who has been their most influential player and personality since his appointment, namely captain Kieran Trippier.
The England full-back had a nightmare at Everton as he was involved in all three goals conceded. Trippier struggled badly again when confronted by his former Spurs team-mate Son Heung-min, who cruised past him far too easily for the first of Richarlison’s two goals.
In a sign of Newcastle’s new status, they still had forwards acquired for more than £100m in Anthony Gordon and Alexander Isak on show, but there was very little creative energy to go with the lack of physical energy.
If there is one thing that might enable Newcastle to overcome fatigue and the odds against AC Milan, it is that the game will be played in front of their own fervent public. Even here in London, at the final whistle, the travelling fans applauded their players at the final whistle.
And how they will be needed on Wednesday as the Toon Army know they will be required to provide fuel for a Newcastle team low on numbers and, on this evidence, running on fumes.
Richarlison and Son shine as risk pays off for Spurs
Howe’s opposite number at Spurs, Ange Postecoglou, has also had to cope with a damaging list of injuries, especially to key summer signings James Maddison and Micky van de Ven.
But this result and performance was the perfect tonic after four defeats, three at home, in their last five games.
There have been cynical reflections on what some have regarded as an over-blown Postecoglou love-in since his arrival at Spurs from Celtic, but what is beyond question is that he has shifted the entire mood of this football club.
“It doesn’t take too much science to find that our dip came when we lost a few influential players,” the Australian said. “It hasn’t been easy. I haven’t been hard with the lads but I’ve not been compromising and allowing excuses.
“I’ve probably been too harsh on them. Newcastle are the only other club to have had the injuries that we’ve had. It’s unrelenting in this league. You miss one or two key players, you’re going to slip.”
From the meagre, stodgy rations served up under Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte, Postecoglou’s devotion to positive, attacking football has been a breath of fresh air in north London. So much so that Spurs fans are clearly prepared to accept the high risks involved in such an approach in exchange for entertainment value.
The new Postecoglou outlook was on show again here but it was the superb Son, one of the club’s old guard, who was the architect of this success as he created the first two goals for Destiny Udogie and Richarlison. Deservedly he then got on the scoresheet himself with the fourth from the penalty spot.
And this was also the day Brazil striker Richarlison finally got a goalscoring return for all his endeavour and struggle during a mixed Spurs career following his £60m move from Everton in July 2022.
He had scored only five goals in 48 appearances before his double against Newcastle, but his hard work and heart-on-the-sleeve approach has ensured consistent backing from the Spurs support, who gave him a standing ovation when he was substituted.
Spurs will hope this is the victory that will put them back on track after a recent slump, while Newcastle must hope they can revive themselves for a huge night at St James’ Park on Wednesday.
