Newcastle United boss Rafael Benitez: 'Tottenham Hotspur remain one of the best'

Newcastle United boss Rafael Benitez has heaped praise on the strength of Tottenham Hotspur's squad ahead of their Premier League opener on Saturday afternoon.

Spurs had been expected to make additions before the end of the summer transfer window, but the North London outfit failed to get any deals over the line.

However, Benitez has insisted that Mauricio Pochettino's squad remains one of the best in the top flight ahead of the meeting between the clubs at St James' Park.

At a press conference, the Spaniard told reporters: "I would say it is a surprise that they didn't sign anyone, but at the same time, they had at least 11 players in the World Cup.

"We are talking about one of the best teams in the Premier League, and in terms of English players, Tottenham are the best team."

The same fixture also took place at the beginning of the last campaign, with Spurs running out 2-0 victors in the North-East.