Source: Daily_Mail
Tottenham 2 Newcastle 0: Spurs leapfrog Chelsea into top four
Is the balance of power between the capital's clubs shifting? On this evidence Tottenham certainly represent a better bet for a top-four finish than Chelsea.[LNB]Harry Redknapp's side may be doing things the hard way, this being their second consecutive winwith 10 men following Younes Kaboul's red card for an attempted butt on Newcastle's Cheik Tiote. But the resilience they showed spoke volumes for Tottenham's credentials as regular top-four finishers.[LNB] Pure delight: Tottenham moved into the top four thanks to their win over Newcastle[LNB]Redknapp's team were certainly not attheir best as they struggled to break down a well-organisedNewcastle side. But unlike Chelsea, their match-winners are doing the business when it counts. In times of need Luka Modric, Gareth Bale, Rafael van der Vaart and Michael Dawson step forward.[LNB]TOON TWEET BAN?Alan Pardew will review Newcastle's Twitter policy after Spanish full back Jose Enrique's ill-advised decision to announce he was out of the trip to Tottenham with a hamstring injury on the morning of the game.[LNB]'Players can't be giving that sortof information out,' said the newNewcastle manager.[LNB]'It's difficult to police. We need to make it a club policy that it has to stop.'[LNB]And even if Carlo Ancelotti manages to ease the growing pressure on his shoulders by leapfrogging Spurs with a win against Bolton this evening, it is debatable whether that will remain the state of play come May unless Chelsea can somehow regain the swagger which took them to the Double last season.[LNB]Understandably, Redknapp erred on theside of caution when it came to writing off the champions' chances of finishing in the Barclays Premier League top four. But he is certainly convinced his team have what it takes to be in the mix right until the end of the season.[LNB]'It's going to be hard getting into the top four this year, tougher than last year,' said Redknapp, largely based on the improvements Manchester City have made.[LNB]'But we're going well. It's been a great run and a good start to the Christmas period. Six points is a good start and three on Saturday against Fulham would be fantastic.'[LNB] Hot Spur: Aaron Lennon grabbed a rare goal for Tottenham shortly before they were reduced to 10 men[LNB]Five wins and three draws from their last eight for Spurs put their manager's modesty into perspective, even if it looked as if a share of the spoils might be the best he could hopefor against adetermined Newcastle side until an injection of pace by Aaron Lennon broke the deadlock in the 57thminute.[LNB]Kaboul produced a great ball to release the hitherto ineffective winger and although Lennon didwell to get round James Perch, an unlucky deflection of the Newcastle full back proved vital in his shot beating Tim Krul.[LNB] Wing wizard: Gareth Bale completed his memorable 2010 with the final goal of the game[LNB]With a visiting midfield featuring Tiote, Joey Barton and Alan Smith, there was always the potential forfireworks and when Smith dumped Bale on his backside right in front of the Tottenham bench, the blue touch paper was lit.[LNB]The main protagonists were not the players but rather Spurs assistant Joe Jordan and Newcastlegoalkeeping coach Andy Woodman. Redknapp acted as peacemaker even if he later claimed 'Joe can look after himself'.[LNB]Kaboul's rush of blood could have proved far more costly, however. Having taken exception to a challenge by Tiote on Modric, Kaboul's rutting stag motioning in the direction of the Newcastle midfielder's forehead left referee Anthony Taylor with no choice other than to produce the red card.[LNB] [LNB] Battle: Tottenham and Newcastle scrapped it out in the first half at White Hart Lane[LNB]Redknapp certainly had no complaints and the centre half could face a fine if his manager's comments are anything to go by. 'You're 1-0 up so why do you have to go and do something like that?' said Redknapp. 'He has to learn. He's been fantastic for us, everything I believed he would be when I first saw himat Auxerre, but now he's gone and got himself a three match ban.'[LNB]Still, Spurs are made of stern stuff these days and with Newcastle unable to make their manadvantage count, it fell to Bale to make things safe for the home side.[LNB] [LNB] Carroll singing: Toon striker Andy was well dealt with by the Spurs rearguard[LNB]The electrifying runs down the left may have been less frequent than usual. But with nine minutesremaining Modric robbed Andy Carroll on the edge of Tottenham's box before breaking and findingBale.[LNB]A burst of acceleration took him pastSteven Taylor and the finish was yet another deadly accurateone from a tight angle from the Wales winger.[LNB]A late flurry from Newcastle saw Modric forced to clear a Taylor shot off the line while Carroll'sphysical presence ensured Dawson needed to remain switched on for 90 minutes. Even so, there was never any real cause for concern.[LNB] Bale force: Newcastle's Fabricio Coloccini tried desperately to shackle Gareth Bale[LNB]Newcastle manager Alan Pardew has nowpresided over one win and two defeats since replacingSpurs old boy Chris Hughton, but given the opponents were Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham, he views three points as a reasonable return.[LNB]He is, however, looking for six from the next two games against Wigan and West Ham, not to mentionsome January cash from owner Mike Ashley to go with the Christmas presents of a new five-and-a-half-year deal for Taylor and an assurance the Carroll will not be sold.[LNB] Marching orders: Younes Kaboul saw red for a headbutt on Cheik Tiote in the second half[LNB]'We've got three really tough games out of the way,' said Pardew. 'We need six or seven more wins,and this team is capable of that. Wigan and West Ham don't have the depth of squad or quality thatwe've confronted in the last few games.[LNB]'They're fighting on a different agenda, but if we show the commitment and fight we've shown in the last three games, our quality will tell.'[LNB] [LNB] We can win the league! Redknapp believes Tottenham ARE in the title raceTaylor signs new five-and-a-half year deal to commit future to NewcastleNEWCASTLE UNITED FC
