Tottenham Hotspur ended their three-game losing run across all competitions last night with a hard-fought 2-2 draw against Newcastle United away at St James’ Park.

The Lilywhites have often found games at St James’ Park hard to come by, as seen by their run of four losses in a row, but Thomas Frank managed to put an end to that on Tuesday night.

His men have often struggled to come back from losing positions in the Premier League in 2025/26, but they did manage to do so twice on Tyneside to secure a needed point.

It leaves the Lilywhites in 11th place ahead of the remainder of the midweek fixtures, a position lower than many expected after the Dane’s arrival during the off-season.

However, it may have been a lot worse against Eddie Howe’s men, especially if it wasn’t for the vital contributions of one of the players during the contest.

How Cristian Romero saved Frank vs Newcastle

Since Frank’s arrival before the start of the ongoing campaign, he named centre-back Cristian Romero as part of his leadership group at Spurs – with the defender often wearing the captain’s armband.

In the league so far this season, the Argentine has now featured in 11 of the 14 outings, with his display against the Magpies last night undoubtedly his best to date.

He returned to the starting eleven after suspension, subsequently managing to find the back of the net twice and securing Frank’s men an unlikely point after Anthony Gordon’s penalty.

Romero’s second goal, which was a beautiful bicycle kick, was no doubt the pick of the bunch, with such a finish, one you would expect off an elite-level attacker.

His underlying stats further showcase his impressive display, with the defender managing to win 100% of the tackles he entered, whilst also winning 50% of his aerial battles.

Other tallies, such as five clearances made and five recoveries made, showcase his impact within the defensive third – with Romero evidently having a huge impact at both ends of the pitch.

Spurs star was saved by Romero against Newcastle

Despite Romero’s successes against Newcastle last night, not every player managed to impress, with many of Frank’s starting seven being unable to make a huge impact on proceedings.

Rodrigo Bentancur was once again selected after being benched against Fulham, but his return to the starting eleven was an unsuccessful one at St James’.

The Uruguayan international failed to complete any of his attempted dribbles, and was only able to register two passes into the final third – subsequently showcasing his struggles in possession.

He was also responsible for pulling down Dan Burn in the penalty area, which resulted in Gordon’s late penalty, with his rash nature once again on full show on Tyneside.

However, he wasn’t alone in failing to deliver against the Magpies, with winger Brennan Johnson failing to take advantage after his own recall to the squad after multiple substitute appearances.

The Welshman was handed the chance to start in a somewhat unfamiliar left-wing position last night, but it certainly was a performance to forget for the attacker.

He featured for 77 minutes against Howe’s side before being withdrawn, with his substitution warranted after his lack of impact throughout his time on the pitch.

Minutes played

77

Touches

29

Passes completed

12/21 (57%)

Dribbles completed

0

Possession lost

12x

Crosses completed

1

Duels won

20%

Passes into final third

1

The 24-year-old only managed to complete 57% of the passes he attempted, subsequently losing possession on 12 occasions and even registering just 29 touches – a tally fewer than goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, who notched 44.

Johnson also failed to complete any of his attempted dribbles, whilst only completing one cross into the box – often being unable to create any chances for the Lilywhites.

He was massively dominated out of possession, as seen by his tally of five duels entered, but he only managed to come out on top in just 20% of the battles with the opposition backline.

As a result, he was handed a measly 6/10 match rating by Football London journalist Alasdair Gold, further reflecting his lack of quality in the draw last night.

After such a showing, Frank must surely be left with no choice but to drop the winger ahead of their return to action at the weekend, with a win desperately needed to end the barren spell.

The clash on Tyneside certainly could have been a lot worse had it not been for Romero’s brilliance at the top end of the pitch – with Johnson certainly being bailed out by his teammate.

Richarlison upgrade: Spurs line up bid for "one of the best STs in Europe"

Tottenham have left plenty to be desired in the final third this season.

ByAngus Sinclair Dec 2, 2025

Mousa Dembélé is a star who exceeded all expectations during his time as a Tottenham Hotspur player, with the Belgian one of the most underrated players in their history.

He would go on to rack up a total of 249 appearances during his seven-year spell at the club, often catching the eye with his physicality and dazzling feet.

Despite his massive frame, you wouldn’t expect a player to easily get past the opposition, but Dembélé used to glide past his men in North London – with many of his former players singing his praises.

However, since his departure in 2019, the first-team have lacked the dominant and ball-playing option at the heart of the side, but that could be about to change in January.

With the window now on the horizon, Thomas Frank is starting to draw up a list of players who could improve the options at his disposal in the middle of the park.

Spurs’ hunt for a new midfielder in the January window

Over the last couple of days, Spurs have been one of the Premier League clubs linked with a potential winter deal to land Brighton & Hove Albion star Carlos Baleba.

Manchester United were massively touted with a deal to land the Cameroonian international in the summer, but were massively put off by his £100m valuation.

The same could be said for Frank’s side in January, with the Lilywhites wanting to land the 21-year-old, but are unwilling to fork out the current asking price for his signature.

However, he’s not the only midfielder in their sights at present, with Atlético Madrid talent Conor Gallagher once again appearing on their radar ahead of the upcoming window.

According to one Spanish outlet, the Englishman is available for a fee in the region of €60m (£52m) next month, with Fabio Paratici wanting to fork out such a fee for his services.

It also states that the player himself could be keen on a move back to the Premier League, but Diego Simeone’s side will only sanction a move if the asking price is met.

How Gallagher compares to Dembele

Spurs have often formed numerous rivalries in the Premier League over the years, with Chelsea just one of the sides in which they have had many fierce contests with.

Frank Lampard was a player who regularly starred against the Lilywhites, often leaving the fanbase wishing they had their own version of the English midfielder.

He featured against the club on 41 separate occasions, winning 22 of which and only losing eight times – often providing the difference in the London derby.

The now-retired star scored ten times within the aforementioned meetings, the third-best record against any time in his professional career – further showcasing his impact against Spurs.

Mixing a player of Lampard and Dembélé’s quality is always going to be a difficult ask, but it’s one that Gallagher has managed to do during recent months in Madrid.

He’s been a dominant player for Simeone’s men in LaLiga, with his underlying stats from the 2025/26 campaign showcasing his incredible ability at both ends of the pitch.

Gallagher has won 2.5 tackles and made 1.6 interceptions per 90 this season, with such numbers showcasing his dominant ball-winning presence that Dembélé possessed.

Games played

15

Goals & assists

1

Pass accuracy

88%

Shots taken

1.4

Progressive carries

2.7

Progressive passes

3.9

Tackles made

2.5

Interceptions made

1.6

Carries into opposition box

0.9

He’s also made 0.9 carries into the opposition box as part of his 2.7 progressive carries per 90, another component of his game that the Belgian demonstrated in North London.

However, his ability in possession has also caught the eye, with England U21 manager Lee Carsley previously stating that the midfielder is just “like Lampard”.

Gallagher has completed 88% of the passes he’s attempted to date, with 3.9 of which per 90 going into the final third – something which Lampard became known for with the Blues.

His crashing nature also handed the Spurs fans numerous moments of anguish, something which the Atletico star has demonstrated with his tally of one goal and 1.4 shots per 90.

£52m may appear to be a huge investment in the former Blues star, but his all-round stats in Spain’s top-flight this season showcase his elite-level output at both ends.

Should he merge the levels achieved by Dembélé and Lampard in the Premier League, it would be a stellar signing and one that can take Frank’s side to the next level.

Saved by Romero: Frank must bin Spurs flop who had fewer touches than Vicario

Tottenham Hotspur were fortunate to walk away with a point against Newcastle United last night.

2 ByEthan Lamb Dec 3, 2025

Tess Flintoff’s clutch, late hitting cut the tension as Melbourne Renegades toppled Melbourne Stars in the WBBL’s derby on Sunday at Junction Oval.Chasing 142 for victory, Flintoff (17 in nine balls) held her nerve with a six, four and four off Annabel Sutherland’s penultimate over to clinch the win with four wickets and seven balls to spare.Stars had given themselves every chance with some tight bowling after Courtney Webb (37) and Sophie Molineux (32) had put the defending champions on track.Needing a-run-a-ball in the final four overs, both Deandra Dottin and Georgia Wareham holed out to heap the pressure on the lower order. But, needing 12 off ten balls, Flintoff was up to the task against her former club.First she split two leg-side fielders with a swipe that hit the rope before hammering a back-foot drive over cover to level the scores. Victory came courtesy of a sweetly-timed drive over mid-off to put Renegades (3-1) into second behind the unbeaten Hobart Hurricanes (3-0).Earlier, Meg Lanning (3) recorded a rare failure, leaving Sutherland (29) and Marizanne Kapp (22) to pilot Stars’ innings before Kim Garth’s (29 off 19) late hitting. Dottin, with 3 for 20 in three overs, took the last three wickets and was later named the Player of the Match.

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