Tottenham Hotspur, the former champions of the Premier League, have experienced an unprecedented decline recently. From reaching the top of the league in October, it has now fallen to fifth, nine points behind leaders Arsenal, which is an astonishing decline.
Injury problems have dealt a serious blow to Tottenham's strength. Since creative midfielder James Maddison suffered a serious ankle injury, Tottenham's attacking style of play has all but lost its character.
In addition, the absence of key players such as Ivan Perisic, Micky van der Ven and Rodrigo Bentancur, as well as the long-term injury of attacking midfielder James Maddison, have severely weakened Tottenham's squad. It was like a violent storm that pushed this team into a difficult situation.
Despite the injury shocks of Newcastle, including the absence of striker Callum Wilson, midfielders Joe Willock, Harvey Barnes, Shaun Langsafter, defenders Seven Botman, Dan Byrne and goalkeeper Nick Pope, they have also won seven of their final 11 Premier League fixtures, drawing two and losing two.
It shows how well they have done in dealing with the crisis and overcoming the injury storm.
In the history of head-to-head meetings between the two teams, the goal totals have often ended in odd numbers. Tottenham have seen an odd number of goals scored in seven of their last nine matches;Newcastle, on the other hand, have scored an odd number in three of their last four matches. Such a trend is likely to continue in this weekend's game as well.
In addition, Tottenham have conceded in five of their last six consecutive matches, while Newcastle have scored in five of their last six.
In addition to injury problems, Tottenham Hotspur have recently been winless in four consecutive rounds, specifically one draw and three defeats. During that time, their attacking style of play was chaotic and they missed a number of goalscoring opportunities.
At the same time, the defensive end is also full of holes, allowing opponents to score easily. Such performances have raised concerns about the future of Tottenham.
Newcastle, on the other hand, have been eye-catching. Although they have also suffered from injuries, the team has done a great job in handling the crisis.
In the history of the two teams, both Tottenham and Newcastle have shown a strong sense of competition.
Overall, Tottenham Hotspur's staggering decline in numbers is worrying. Injury issues have severely affected the team's performance, while Newcastle's strong form has been a sight to behold.
This weekend's game will be a tough contest and although Tottenham have been doing well at home, they have been plagued by injuries and recent poor performances. Newcastle could take advantage of this opportunity to secure a narrow margin of victory.
Expert**: 1-2
However, the final result will depend on the specifics and player form on the day of the match. Let's look forward to this game and hopefully both teams will give us a great performance.