Spurs overcome ten-man Newcastle

Tottenham Hotspur made a winning start to the Premier League season as they overcame ten-man Newcastle United 2-0 at St James' Park.

Newcastle looked comfortable in the first-half as both sides went in level before Jonjo Shelvey's 47th minute red card changed the tie, with second-half strikes from Dele Alli and Ben Davies securing last season's runners-up an opening day three points.

Injuries to defender's Paul Dummett and Florian Lejeune along with Shelvey's three-game suspension will once again reinforce Rafa Benitez's calls for Newcastle owner Mike Ashley to invest in more players at St James' Park.

Spurs looked blunt in attack at times throughout the first-half and will hope for an improved display in the final third when they host Chelsea on August 20.

Despite an underwhelming first 45 on their return to the top-flight, it was the hosts who carved out the first half-chance of the tie as Shelvey's quick pass played in Dwight Gayle before the striker, who was instrumental in last season's promotion for the Magpies, send his effort wide.

Spurs struggled to replicate the form they showed last season in the opening stages as the hosts compact defending made it difficult for Mauricio Pochettino's side, although they could have opened the scoring in the 22nd minute when Harry Kane was found from an accurate Christian Eriksen free-kick on the right, but last season's top-scorer failed to make any contact in a dangerous area.

Tottenham's last win over Newcastle three years ago consisted of an Eriksen goal and the Dane came close to scoring again when the 25-year-old curled his effort from just outside the area narrowly past the woodwork.

And the former Ajax maestro summed up a half of football which lacked quality from both sides by hitting a tame 35-yard effort, which trickled along the surface before being easily claimed by Rob Elliot.

But the game took a major turning point two minutes into the restart as Newcastle were reduced to ten when Shelvey stamped on the ankle of Alli, who was persistently targeted by the home-side.

Kane has never scored a Premier League goal in August, but could have found the net in the 50th minute after Eriksen's deflected pass fell kindly to the striker before his shot was stopped by Elliot, denying the England international his 100th Spurs' goal.

The man advantage quickly proved evident from there on in, and it was the Alli who found the net as his out-stretched leg met the ball before finding the bottom-corner from a superb dissecting Eriksen ball, a huge blow for the Magpies who looked deflated following the dismissal of their captain.

All of Newcastle's hard work in the opening 45 was quickly beginning to count for nothing, and they were denied any chance of a dream return to the Premier League when Davies fired in his side's second from inside the box, silencing the home crowd in the process.

Kane did have one final chance in stoppage time to find the net as Son played the instrumental striker in on goal, but the 24-year-old's effort rattled the post before being cleared away.

Source: ISNTV 

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