Twelve months on from being handed a 6-1 hammering by Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur make their return to St James’ Park.
In what was viewed as a Champions League qualification decider at the time, Eddie Howe’s men wiped the floor with Spurs after braces Jacob Murphy & Alexander Isak and a goal by Joelinto had United 5-0 up inside the opening 20 minutes.
Fast forward to now and the tables have slightly turned. While Spurs are firmly in the race for a top four finish, Newcastle’s most realistic aim is finishing either sixth or seventh following a campaign decimated by injuries.
The Magpies remain without several key players for the visit of Tottenham. Recently, both Sven Botman and Jamaal Lascelles have suffered ACL injuries, while the likes of Joelinton, Nick Pope, Miguel Almiron, Tino Livramento and Kieran Trippier remain sidelined.
The latest issue is Joe Willock, who withdrew during the 1-0 win at Fulham last weekend due to an ongoing calf problem.
Meanwhile, Ange Postecoglou’s side have also suffered their fair share of injuries this season but sit in a much stronger position ahead of the run-in. They already have the upper hand on Newcastle this season, winning 4-1 in North London.
Here, NewcastleWorld takes a look at the latest injury news from both camps - with 16 players in total set to miss out:
1. Sandro Tonali - out
Tonali is banned from football until August for illegal betting offences.
2. Sven Botman - out
Botman is ruled out for six to nine months with an ACL injury.
3. Jamaal Lascelles - out
Lascelles sustained an ACL injury against West Ham and joins Botman in being sidelined between six to nine months.
4. Lewis Miley - out
Miley's season is over after the 17-year-old picked up a back injury away with England under-19s last month.