Newcastle United humiliated Tottenham Hotspur with five goals in 21 stunning first-half minutes as they ran out easy winners in what was billed as a showdown for a top-four spot.
Jacob Murphy and Alexander Isak each scored twice and Joelinton added another as Newcastle scythed through a porous visiting defence that was already under the spotlight from last week’s defeat against Bournemouth.
Harry Kane pulled one back in the second half at St James’ Park but Callum Wilson added a sixth to complete the rout shortly after coming off the bench.
The embarrassing defeat is a significant blow to Spurs’ dwindling hopes of securing Champions League qualification – but in contrast the Magpies are now in a commanding position to finish in the top four as they climb to third.
Inspired by an electric atmosphere, Newcastle started with pace and ferocity, taking just 62 seconds to open the scoring.
Joelinton drove inside from the edge of the box and his low shot was parried weakly by Hugo Lloris into the path of Murphy, who was there to smash in the loose ball.
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe says Murphy has become a key member of his side, having previously been on the periphery.
“It’s not often you have a start like that in a game, especially one of such importance,” Howe said.
“Jacob has grown into the team, he’s got a lot of qualities, he can play various positions and he took his goals very well today.”
Five minutes later, Brazilian midfielder Joelinton sprung a shambolic Spurs offside trap and rounded Lloris to double the lead.
With the home fans still celebrating, Murphy rattled in the third with a curling shot from distance that Lloris – who was replaced by Fraser Forster at half-time – did not make any attempt to reach.
Sweden striker Isak, averaging a goal every 113 minutes in the Premier League this season prior to the game, then scored twice to compound Spurs’ misery.
First, he met a sumptuous ball from Joe Willock to slot home calmly, then beat the sprawling Lloris from a tight angle.
Kane barged past Fabian Schar and finished neatly to pull one back minutes into the second half but Newcastle responded when Wilson, who had replaced Isak, immediately poked home another from fellow substitute Miguel Almiron’s pass.
Howe still wouldn’t be drawn on whether his side will reach the top four by the end of May.
“It’s not for me to say,” he said. “I saw a very good team playing today, two actually. But there’s a lot of games to go and a lot of points to play for.”
Breathless 21 minutes fuel Toon dream
There was a real sense of expectation in the air leading up to kick-off, with Newcastle fans aware it was a crucial match as they strive to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in two decades.
The Magpies tend to start fast anyway, but scoring in just over a minute provided them with an early boost and from that explosive opening, they didn’t give Spurs a moment’s peace.
The home side wanted it more and were simply too athletic and powerful for ponderous Spurs.
Joelinton gave the visitors a warning in the build-up to Murphy’s goal with his direct play but Spurs didn’t learn the lesson as he added a second that was painfully easy to score.
By the time Murphy rattled in the third in the ninth minute, the stadium was in disbelief – with the home fans and the visiting players probably as bewildered as each other.
If Spurs were hoping for respite, it wasn’t forthcoming. Isak, arguably Newcastle’s best player since the World Cup, fired in two more in one of the most dramatic openings to a game in Premier League history.
Indeed, only Manchester City have scored five goals in the league in less time, doing so in 18 minutes against Watford in 2019.
Tottenham a shambles as problems grow for Stellini
Tottenham will have expected a tough game, but it was a demolition – and the spineless, disastrous start was symptomatic of their lack of direction.
Pape Sarr, who came in to the side for a rare start, was taken off in the first half and replaced by Davinson Sanchez – himself subbed on and off last week – to a chorus of boos from the Spurs fans.
There were no pattern of play and nothing in the way of leadership from the pitch or the sidelines as Cristian Stellini’s appointment looks an increasingly bizarre decision.
Kane was the only player to offer a semblance of inspiration but he largely cut a frustrated figure and must surely be pondering his future before a summer of big changes at Spurs.
Stellini was left puzzled by the performance, admitting his side were not prepared for what they were faced with.
“It went so badly because we were not prepared enough to play an important match,” he told Sky Sports.
“We have a good squad but today no-one showed how good we are. It was my responsibility to decide how we play and we decided to do it differently because of the injuries. It is my responsibility, I took it and it was wrong.
“I have to take responsibility because once we changed system we played better, scored and showed fight. It’s very difficult to understand why the first 25 minutes were so bad.”
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