Opta’s supercomputer has crunched the numbers ahead of Tottenham Hotspur’s Premier League showdown with Newcastle United on Tuesday night.
Spurs head into the clash off the back of a damaging 2-0 loss to Manchester United at Old Trafford, a match that turned on Cristian Romero’s red card just before the half-hour mark. The defeat ended Tottenham’s four-year unbeaten run against United and has left Thomas Frank’s side hovering just five points above the relegation zone.
That worrying position has sparked genuine concern among Spurs fans, with fears growing that the club could be dragged into a relegation fight as they prepare to welcome Newcastle to North London.
Despite the anxiety, Opta’s data suggests Tottenham still hold the edge. Newcastle arrive in poor form themselves after a 3-2 home defeat to Brentford and sit only four points above Spurs in the table. According to Opta, Tottenham have a 40.7% chance of victory, compared to Newcastle’s 32.6%, while a draw is rated the least likely outcome at 26.7%.
However, Spurs’ task is far from straightforward. Romero is now suspended for four matches after picking up his second red card of the season, further compounding an already lengthy injury list. In total, Tottenham could be without as many as 12 players for the Newcastle encounter, leaving Frank with major selection headaches.
With the North London derby fast approaching and relegation concerns beginning to feel very real, this is far from the ideal moment for Spurs to be stretched so thin.
