Newcastle 2 - 1 Tottenham
KO: Sat Aug 18 17:30:00 BST 2012 Ground: St James' Park, NewcastleReferee: M Atkinson
Preview: Newcastle Host Tottenham In Opening Fixture Of 2012/13 Premier League Season
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Newcastle and Tottenham spent last season vying for a top-four finish and will be hoping to make a positive start to the new campaign.
The Magpies were the Premier League's surprise package in 2011/12, eventually ending in fifth place.
Spurs finished one spot higher than the North East outfit, but were denied a UEFA Champions League berth after seeing Chelsea conquer the continent.
Alan Pardew is expected to have Newcastle placed among the frontrunners once again and will be looking to replicate the flying start to the season which set the Magpies up so well 12 months ago.
The Magpies are unbeaten in their last six Premier League home games with Spurs, winning four and drawing two of those fixtures.
In Papiss Cisse they also boast a frontman who should be fresh after a summer break and looking to build on a prolific strike rate which saw him net 13 times in 14 top-flight outings after moving to St James' Park in January.
Spurs may have broken into the top-four last term, but they rather stumbled over the line and nine other teams earned more points than them between 1st March and the end of the season.
Andre Villas-Boas has been drafted in to try and breathe new life into the White Hart Lane outfit, but must first prove that he has what it takes in the Premier League following a difficult spell in charge of Chelsea.
His first task will be to break an opening day hoodoo, with Spurs having won just one of their last eight games when starting on the road.
They are, however, unbeaten in their last five meetings with the Magpies, picking up maximum points in three of those outings.
Opta Facts
- Newcastle's first ever Premier League game, in August 1993, came at home to Spurs, where the Magpies lost 1-0 courtesy of a Teddy Sheringham goal
- Newcastle are unbeaten in their last six Premier League home games against Tottenham, though the last two games have ended as draws
- Papiss Demba Cise scored 13 goals in 14 Premier League games for the Magpies after joining the club in January
Newcastle 2 - 1 Tottenham
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Newcastle got their 2012/13 Premier League campaign off to the perfect start with a win over Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday evening.
Second half goals from Demba Ba and Hatem Ben Arfa saw Newcastle home against the side who finished directly above them last season.
Ba opened the scoring with a neat curling shot from 12 yards after 55 minutes.
Jermain Defoe equalised from close range for Tottenham after 76 minutes. But three minutes later Ben Arfa was brought down in the box, and the Frenchman converted the penalty to seal the points.
New signing Vurnon Anita made his debut for Newcastle, coming off the bench for the last 20 minutes.
More follows.
