Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has admitted he has a lot of admiration for what is being done at Tottenham Hotspur.
The Lilywhites will be making their way up to the north east with a big clash up next for Tottenham against the Toon.
Having qualified for the Champions League last season, this term has been slightly underwhelming for Newcastle.
Much like Spurs, injuries have held the Magpies back this season and they have a number of player missing for the game at St. James’ Park on Saturday.
However, Spurs will be fully aware of what Newcastle are capable of having been emphatically beaten there last season.
But Ange Postecoglou will be looking for his side to claim maximum points and open up a three-point cushion ahead of Aston Villa’s game on Sunday.
Spurs were able to do just that in the reverse fixture earlier in the season where goals from Destiny Udogie, Richarlison and Heung-min Son sealed a 4-1 win.
Eddie Howe issues honest verdict on what he thinks of Tottenham and Ange Postecoglou
Last season may have seen Newcastle well above Tottenham in the table for the first time in a while.
However, it is back to normality this season with a whopping 13 points separating these two sides going into Saturday’s game.
But the Magpies have found their feet in recent games after taking seven points from their last possible nine.
Although Tottenham may have endured their struggles in the first half against Nottingham Forest on Sunday, they found their breakthrough with second half goals from Micky van de Ven and Pedro Porro.
Speaking ahead of the game on Saturday, the Newcastle boss has admitted he has been impressed by the job being done by Postecoglou at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
“I admire them tactically; I admire them physically. A lot of credit must go to Ange for the job he has done and the philosophy he has implemented. I think they have played very well this year.”
What Ange Postecoglou said about last year’s emphatic defeat to Newcastle
There is a lot more at stake than just getting one over the Magpies for Spurs with Champions League football on the line.
But there is certainly an aspect of playing for some form of revenge also in the air on Tyneside after last year’s trouncing.
Postecoglou may not have been at the helm at the time, but it still did not stop the media asking him if he watched it during Friday’s press conference at Hotspur Way.
“No I haven’t, because there’s no reason to for me,” he replied.
“And yeah it will be a tough game. I don’t think the 12.30 kick-off will mean… we leave today, so I don’t think there’s anything around that. So we’ll have good preparation for it. And it’s a tough game, they’re obviously going through a tough time themselves in terms of injuries, like most clubs this year, but probably they’ve been hurt for a more prolonged period.”