Spurs vs Newcastle: A Clash of Directions

Tottenham Hotspur welcome Newcastle United to north London on 29 August 2026 (17:30 kick-off), with the mood around the two clubs heading in very different directions – and the table making uncomfortable reading for the hosts.

Spurs sit 18th in the Premier League. Newcastle are 11th. The gap in confidence feels even bigger.

Where to watch around the world

From London to Lagos, the game is everywhere.

In the UK, Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League carry the broadcast. In the United States it’s on NBC and Peacock, while fans in India can tune in via Star Sports 3 Asia. Across much of Africa the match runs on SuperSport platforms, with DStv Now in countries such as Kenya and South Africa and SuperSport Premier League ROA or SuperSport MaXimo 1 in several others.

Europe is split across major rights holders: Sky Sport Premier League in Germany and Austria, Sky Sport Uno in Italy, Canal+ Foot in France, DAZN Spain in Spain, Play Sports 1 in Belgium, and Viaplay in the Nordic countries. In Canada, fuboTV Canada has the rights, while Australia turns to Stan Sport and New Zealand to Sky Sport Premier League.

Across the Middle East and North Africa, beIN Sports HD 1 and beIN SPORTS CONNECT cover territories including Egypt, Algeria, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, and more. Large chunks of Asia are served by SPOTV NOW, U-NEXT, K+, True Visions, and regional partners such as Vidio in Indonesia and Star Sports in Bhutan and India.

In Latin America, ESPN carries the game in nations such as Brazil, Argentina, Colombia and Chile, while Disney+ Premium holds rights in parts of Central and South America and the Caribbean.

From tiny Pacific islands like Samoa, Tonga and the Cook Islands on Sky Sport Premier League, to Caribbean outposts via Disney+ Premium Caribbean, the fixture is almost impossible to miss.

VPN route for blocked viewers

Some supporters will still hit a wall: local blackouts, travel, or simply living in a country without direct access to their preferred coverage. That is where a VPN comes in.

By using a reputable VPN service, fans can route their internet connection through another country, matching their virtual location to a region where the game is officially broadcast. Once connected to that server, they simply head to the broadcaster’s app or website and stream as usual.

The key steps are straightforward: install the VPN app, pick a server in a country showing the match, clear cookies if the browser clings to the old location, then log into the chosen broadcaster and watch. For those who want the stadium feel at home, Android-based smart TVs, Amazon Fire TV Stick and Google Chromecast with Google TV usually support native VPN apps. Devices like Apple TV, Roku and many consoles often need Smart DNS settings or casting from a VPN-connected phone or laptop to get the picture onto the big screen.

De Zerbi’s injury crisis

Roberto De Zerbi walks into this one with a threadbare squad and the table biting at his heels.

Wilson Odobert, Xavi Simons, Mohammed Kudus, Pape Sarr and Dejan Kulusevski are all out injured. No suspensions, just a treatment room that refuses to empty.

His projected XI is bold and attacking: Kinsky in goal; a back line of Van Hecke, Senesi, Porro and Robertson; a fluid band of Tel, Fernandes, Moore, Gallagher and Tonali behind Richarlison up front. It’s a side built to play on the front foot, but it will have to find balance quickly against a Newcastle team that has enjoyed this fixture in recent years.

Jaissle light on numbers, heavy on intent

On the opposite bench, Mmatthias Jaissle has his own absentees to juggle, though the pressure on the league position is far lighter.

Valentino Livramento, Joelinton, William Osula and Daniel Burn are all sidelined through injury. Again, no suspensions.

His likely XI: Hornicek in goal; Thiaw, Hall, Botman and Dedic across the back; Barnes, Miley, Ramsey, Elanga and Steur behind Wissa as the central striker. It’s a side with legs and direct running in wide areas, exactly the sort of profile that has hurt Spurs in recent meetings.

Form lines heading into kick-off

Tottenham’s recent run is chaotic, but not lifeless.

Across their last five games, they have one win, two draws and two defeats. The headline is the 5-1 Carabao Cup demolition of Charlton Athletic, a cathartic night that followed a sobering 3-0 Premier League loss to Brentford. Pre-season offered a 2-2 draw and a 3-0 win over Hoffenheim and a 1-1 draw with Getafe.

Twelve goals scored, five conceded across those five matches. The attack is sparking. The league position says the structure behind it still needs work.

Newcastle arrive with their own mixed picture: one win, one draw, three defeats in their last five.

They edged West Brom 3-2 most recently, a needed victory after a 2-2 draw away at Liverpool on the opening Premier League weekend. Their pre-season was bumpier: a 1-1 draw with Strasbourg, a 2-1 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen, and a 3-1 loss to Everton.

Nine scored, eight conceded. They tend to be in games, but they leave the door open.

Newcastle’s grip on the rivalry

Recent history in this fixture is brutal reading for Spurs.

The last meeting came on 10 February 2026 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Newcastle walked out 2-1 winners in the league. Before that, the sides shared a 2-2 draw at St James’ Park in December 2025.

Go back over the last five clashes in all competitions and the pattern hardens: Newcastle have three wins and two draws, Tottenham none. That run includes a 2-0 Carabao Cup win for the Magpies in October 2025, a 1-1 pre-season draw in August 2025, and another 2-1 Newcastle victory in north London in January 2025.

Spurs have turned this into a must-win league game. Newcastle have turned it into a fixture they expect to control.

A fragile table, a familiar test

So Tottenham start the day in the bottom three, staring up at a side that has made a habit of spoiling their nights. Newcastle sit 11th, within touching distance of the European conversation if they can string results together.

De Zerbi needs a performance that cuts through the noise and the injuries. Jaissle needs to prove that Newcastle’s grip on this fixture is not just a quirk of recent seasons, but part of a wider rise.

One club fights to get moving. The other fights to keep climbing. Which version of themselves will they show when the whistle goes in north London?