Newcastle		Tottenham Hotspur
	2 - 2	(3rd kit to follow)
Half time:	1 - 2
Score Sheet:
(28) Joelinton  (85) Willock		Kane (30) Kane (34)
	Teams
Dubravka Murphy Ritchie Krafth Dummett Lascelles Almiron Shelvey S.Longstaff Gayle Joelinton		Lloris Tanganga Reguilon Rodon D.Sanchez Lo Celso Lucas Moura Hojbjerg Ndombele Kane Alves Morais
Substitutes:
(71) Saint-Maximin for Gayle (79) Willock for Krafth (83) Manquillo for Murphy		Son for Alves Morais (46) Lamela for Lucas Moura (64) Bale for Lo Celso (88)
Subs not used:
Clark M.Longstaff Lewis Hendrick Darlow Anderson		Winks Hart Dier Sissoko Alli Scarlett
Bookings:
Shelvey Dummett Almiron		Lo Celso Tanganga
Dismissals:
None		None
Referee: Craig Pawson - a fourth posting this season for the official from South Yorkshire - all at SJP. In charge of the home defeats by Manchester United and Chelsea, Pawson returned for our most recent victory, at home to Southampton. VAR: Darren England
Attendance: Behind closed doors.

On-loan midfielder Joe Willock came off the bench to net a potentially priceless equaliser at St. James' Park on Sunday, as Newcastle went some way to flushing the Brighton capitulation out of their systems.

Deservedly ahead through a 28th minute strike from Joelinton, United immediately gift-wrapped an equaliser for Harry Kane - who then shot past Martin Dubravka to turn the game around completely in just seven minutes.

However, the point that the home side's overall display warranted arrived with five minutes of normal time remaining, Willock slamming a loose ball into the Gallowgate End net from close range.

There were five changes to the side who lost 0-3 in Sussex last time out; with messrs Manquillo, Clark, Hayden, Willock and Fraser standing down - the latter returning from international duty with a groin problem.

In came Emil Krafth to form a back trio with Dummett and Lascelles, Matt Ritchie and Jacob Murphy played as wing backs, Sean Longstaff took the vacant midfield role and there was a recall for Dwight Gayle, partnered with Joelinton for the first time this season. Two up top at home, like old times...

Recently returning to training, Callum Wilson wasn't risked but there was a return to action from the bench for Allan Saint-Maximin. He would finish the game up front, with Jonjo Shelvey dropping as a makeshift centre half.

Steve Bruce's side almost made a lightning start to proceedings, but Joelinton shot weakly at Hugo Lloris when well-placed.

And with the visiting defence looking out of sorts, Gayle came agonisingly close to a 19th minute opener - seeing Lloris palm away his initial header and his follow-up shot get stuck under the Spurs custodian.

A breakthrough did come though when Ritchie twice got in the way of slack clearances by Spurs players; slipping a pass to Longstaff on the second occasion, who fed it across the box for Joelinton to pick his spot inside the far post at the Leazes End.

Celebrations were soon cut short though as the yellow-clad Cockerels levelled barely 90 seconds later; Krafth's inept attempt at making a clearance in front of his own goal leading to a ricochet that presented Kane with an unmissable opportunity to make it 1-1.

The England striker scored twice here last season and within four minutes had repeated the feat - his and Tottenham's second a confident strike from the right hand of the box that looked to be fractionally onside.

That unsurprisingly quietened United, but the Spurs defence were almost caught out when Gayle spotted Almiron making an unchecked run on goal - only to make a hash of the required pass.

Into the second half and another visible sign of Newcastle's positive approach came from Miggy in the opening seconds, forcing a fingertip save from Lloris.

The Paraguayan then kept his side in it after 67 minutes; Dubravka punching a corner skywards and Japhet Tanganga sending it goalwards to where Almiron headed it clear off the goal line.

Joelinton then missed the chance to restore United's lead, taking down a right wing cross from Krafth but wastefully knocking it wide of the target.

The replacement of Gayle by Saint-Maximin then seemed to derail United's attacking attempts and they were almost caught out by a quick counter-attack that ended in Kane striking a post.

Less than a minute later though the ball was in the net at the other end. Saint-Maximin found Ritchie on the left and his cross to the far post was headed back across the six yard box. With Almiron challenging two defenders, the ball ran free for Willock to finish gleefully.

In addition to the obvious relief at having avoided defeat, there was at least a sense that we were trying to make something happen, rather than simply reacting to what the opposition dictated.

At times this season we've looked afraid of the ball, but an upturn in attacking intent was evident: statistics showed United had more efforts on goal from inside the box today than in any league game since Bruce arrived.

The improved attitude was perhaps related to the return to Matt Ritchie and his competitive approach - or maybe the perilous nature of their situation has finally become evident to the players, along with the fact that their manager ain't going anywhere.

To glorify in the point won though is to fall into Bruce's (clap)trap - on chances, it's another two points lost and a sizeable opportunity to gain that elusive win over a top six side who Kane, apart, weren't at the races.

Despite that though, the Newcastle boss rounded again on his invisible foes  and couldn't resist quite literally making a mountain out of a molehill - firstly mentioning the club insider when nobody else was, and then denying that there was a mole at all.

The casual observer would not have concluded that his team had a) drawn not won the game just ended and b) won two of their last 21 fixtures.  That's an original way of proving your critics wrong.

Today's display does give at least mild optimism though that we could win at Burnley next week to drag them into the mire - something that before this game looked to be completely reliant on the return of our top scorer.

That of course is tempered by looking at the daunting fixture list that follows it. Lose at Turf Moor and the odds on our survival will lengthen appreciably. 

Although fleetingly in the bottom three at one point in late afternoon, United ended the day where they'd started it, in seventeenth - three points ahead of Fulham with a game in hand.

That followed a 1-3 loss for the Cottagers at Aston Villa later, despite the Villans gifted Aleksandar Mitrovic a 61st minute opener. Thankfully Dean Smith's side roused themselves to net three times in quick succession.

Despite that though, Bruce's side will kick off against Burnley in the bottom three if Fulham beat Wolves at Craven Cottage this coming Friday night.

Biffa