Tottenham Hotspur got back to winning ways in the Premier League on Sunday with a 3-1 win away to Newcastle United.
The visitors took the lead with half an hour played when Nacer Chadli found the bottom corner with a 25-yard drive, but Newcastle equalised just 19 seconds after the restart thanks to Jack Colback's composed strike.
However, Spurs regained the advantage on 52 minutes through a Christian Eriksen free kick before Harry Kane made sure of the victory in stoppage time when he finished off a counter-attack.
Here, Sports Mole takes a closer look at the action between the sides at St James' Park.
Match statistics
Newcastle
Shots: 11
On target: 5
Possession: 38%
Corners: 4
Fouls: 11
Tottenham
Shots: 14
On target: 8
Possession: 62%
Corners: 3
Fouls: 13
Was the result fair?
On an afternoon of lacklustre football at St James' Park, Tottenham came away with a deserved three points in the end. The visitors had that extra bit of quality in the final third when it counted, heaping more misery on the Magpies.
Newcastle's performance
The slump continues. This was a poor display from the hosts, who lacked urgency, organisation and a clinical edge up front. Their cause was not helped by a half-full stadium, though they also failed to inspire their fans. A tepid performance across all areas of the pitch, this was the showing of a side that is severely short of confidence.
The most frustrating aspect from a Newcastle point of view was that they did not look like they wanted the win enough. Six consecutive defeats is hugely worrying and it does not look there is going to be an improvement any time soon. While it is unlikely that the Magpies will be dragged into the relegation battle, it could be a nervy finale to the season.
Tottenham's performance
While Newcastle failed to inspire, the visitors were not much better. A sub-standard first-half display was salvaged when Chadli gave them the lead, but after that there was little to suggest that Spurs were going to go on and dominate. It was only when Eriksen put them back in front that they did a good job of keeping the home side at arm's length. After that, Mauricio Pochettino's men bided their time before landing the killer blow in stoppage time.
Overall, Tottenham played like a team that is struggling to find momentum, though they will be happy to have left the North-East with three points following a two-game winless run. With their campaign in danger of petering out before the match, this victory could give them that bit of encouragement needed to enjoy a strong final few weeks of the season.
Sports Mole's man of the match
Paulinho: The Spurs midfielder has endured a mixed season, but he was the away side's most effective player against Newcastle. His physicality in central areas played a key factor in their win, while he also provided good support higher up the pitch throughout the encounter.
Biggest gaffe
Tim Krul will be disappointed with the nature of Tottenham's second goal as Eriksen's free kick evaded everyone before finding the far corner. Krul looked unsure when the ball was delivered into the Newcastle box, while his static positioning prevented him from doing anything about it.
Referee performance
Kevin Friend had to be firm on a handful of occasions as the game grew more physical, though his decisions were largely the right ones. With unrest in the stands, the official did well not to incense things further by keeping control of the contest.
What next?
Newcastle: The Magpies have the chance to end their dismal run on April 25 when they host Swansea City in the Premier League.
Tottenham: Spurs are back in league action away to Southampton on April 25, which could be a vital game in the race for European qualification.
Jack Prescott
