Tottenham Hotspur clinched their first victory since October as they defeated Newcastle United 4-1 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday. This win put an end to their run of five matches without a victory. The hosts displayed the confidence and swagger of a fully fit team that had won over neutral fans early in the season.
Despite their humbling 2-1 loss to West Ham United just three days ago, Tottenham looked far fresher in both mind and body against the Magpies. Key players such as Richarlison and Son Heung-min returned to form, displaying agility and skill. Pedro Porro, Yves Bissouma, Dejan Kulusevski, Destiny Udogie, and Brennan Johnson also showed peak condition.
Pape Matar Sarr, who has been absent from the starting lineup due to injury, was one of Tottenham’s key performers in the late summer and early autumn. His return to the lineup on Sunday coincided with an energetic Spurs performance. Sarr has almost literally grown into an all-seeing and all-covering approach – he’s listed as 6ft1, but in motion gives the illusion of standing at closer to 6ft5.
Sarr’s absence from the team led to struggles in the midfield, as he provided the glue to hold everything together like he did against Newcastle. Bissouma’s first above-average match since his daft sending off at Luton Town prior to the international break came with Sarr helping him with the legwork. Postecoglou’s remit upon arriving at Tottenham was to bring through the team’s younger stars, and Sarr is now getting those chances and taking them in a fast-paced system which suits his profile perfectly.
The presence of a midfielder like Sarr makes the game easier for Tottenham, providing similar impact to that of Mousa Dembele who previously provided a motor for the team. Sarr is not the same type of player as Dembele or Tanguy Ndombele, but perhaps he was the one in waiting all along.
Overall, Tottenham’s victory over Newcastle United indicated a resurgence for the team after a series of disappointing results. With key players returning to form and Sarr’s impactful presence in midfield, the future is looking bright for the team under Ange Postecoglou’s guidance as they move forward in the season.
