Champions League-bound Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United go end their pre-season waka for Asia with one big match wey go shele for Sunday inside Seoul World Cup Stadium for South Korea.
Tottenham dey on top form after dem beat Arsenal for one historic North London derby, but Newcastle dey try recover from three back-to-back friendly losses.
Pape Sarr do one kind David Beckham/Xabi Alonso level goal wey settle the first ever North London derby wey no happen for UK on Thursday, as e score from near midfield for Hong Kong.
If na Premier League match, VAR for don check whether Richarlison trip Myles Lewis-Skelly before the goal, but make we no lie – Sarr goal na banger, and David Raya no fit stop am.
Thomas Frank boys manage hold Arsenal attack for second half without stress, and dem extend their unbeaten run for pre-season. Right now, Spurs don get two wins and two draws from their four warm-up matches – even though two of dem draws na against lower-league teams like Wycombe Wanderers and Luton Town – and two tough games still remain.
After dem face Newcastle on Sunday, Tottenham go return Europe to face Harry Kane new club Bayern Munich on August 7, before dem open Premier League campaign against newly-promoted Burnley.
While Tottenham dey play like say dem ready for season, Newcastle pre-season don be like bad dream – both on and off the pitch.
Eddie Howe men first beat Carlisle United 4-0 for opening friendly, but since then, dem don lose three straight matches to Celtic, Arsenal and K-League XI.
Kim Jin-gyu score first half goal wey give Suwon hosts 1-0 win on July 30, and Newcastle players like Sandro Tonali, Anthony Elanga and Anthony Gordon no fit find how to break K-League XI defence. Na only God know wetin dey go through Alexander Isak mind.
Dem say the Swede dey nurse small thigh injury, and reports talk say Liverpool don already send one bid wey Newcastle reject. But while the club dey argue transfer money, Newcastle still get bad form wey dem go carry enter this Spurs match.
Even though Newcastle don beat Tottenham five times for their last six games – and win the last three for Premier League – the way Spurs dey hot now fit mean say that Geordie juju go end.
Tottenham friendly form:
W, D, D, W
Newcastle friendly form:
W, L, L, L
Team News
Tottenham still leave six injured players for house – Kulusevski, Dragusin, Takai, Solomon, Udogie and Bryan Gil. Dem still miss Dominic Solanke for midweek match because of ankle injury.
Coach Frank talk say e hope say Solanke go ready for Sunday match, but if e no ready, the guy go dey available for the Bayern game.
Spurs also dey near to sign Joao Palhinha from Fulham on loan with buy option, but the Portuguese midfielder no go fit play this weekend match.
Newcastle own Joe Willock get ankle problem near end of their last match, but Howe talk say e no too serious. Still, e go shock people if Willock start on Sunday. Bruno Guimaraes fit return to midfield, maybe with Joelinton if dem decide rest Lewis Miley.
Sven Botman still dey doubt after groin injury against Arsenal, but apart from Isak, rest of Newcastle squad dey okay.
Tottenham possible starting lineup:
Vicario; Porro, Romero, Van de Ven, Spence; Maddison, Bentancur, Sarr; Kudus, Richarlison, Son
Newcastle possible starting lineup:
Pope; Trippier, Schar, Lascelles, Burn; Guimaraes, Tonali, Joelinton; Murphy, Osula, Barnes
We Say: Tottenham 2-1 Newcastle
Whether all this Isak transfer talk dey affect Newcastle players na dem sabi, but the team never adjust to life without their main striker.
Even with their strong record against Tottenham, the way Spurs dey move under Thomas Frank now mean say Newcastle fit suffer another L as Tottenham extend their unbeaten run and Newcastle problem continue.