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BBC Sport pundit Ashley Williams explains how Nico Gonzalez's ability to play forward passes quickly encouraged Anthony Elanga to make runs in behind the Tottenham defence in Newcastle's 2-0 win over the North London side in the Premier League.
Former Newcastle defender John Anderson says the Magpies had the opportunity to beat Tottenham "more convincingly" than just 2-0.
"It could have been an awful lot more," he told BBC Radio Newcastle. "They had chances in the second half to really put Spurs to the sword.
"You definitely would have took 2-0 before kick-off, but there were chances, and chances to win it more convincingly."
Newcastle boss Matthias Jaissle, speaking to Sky Sports: "Incredible. Really proud, we are really proud as a club and coaching staff to see the team delivering on the pitch and also seeing players committed to what we are doing. Proud and a moment to enjoy.
"We did well also last week. It was a step in the right direction again with a strong opponent, huge signings. The way we handled the opponent was amazing.
"It is always the same as a coach, you try to emphasise where you can stretch the opponent and find gaps. We tried to keep our priniciples. The DNA of Newcastle is a good fit to the playing style I like to see so therefore we saw already in the past similarities."
On Nico Gonzalez and his performance: "I am happy that you somehow think I am smart. When he has the ball he has a good timing, when to deliver and also when to slow down the game. A really good debut."
On improvement in players like Anthony Elanga and Yoane Wissa under him: "I don't take the compliments yet. I try just to encourage them, motivate them and support them, not only those two but the whole squad. I am really happy to see the improvement.
"It means a lot. I just said to the lads in the locker room we can count now our defensive stability. The clean sheet today was a big goal.
"We have ambitions, we know what is needed. The squad is strong but there are still a couple of days left then we can talk again."
Newcastle midfielder Nico Gonzalez, speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "It was amazing. I have been four days here so it wasn't easy for me to start but I am really happy for the work I have done and the team has done.
"The idea [in the second half] was the same but we made a few adjustments and were a little more aggressive on them. I think that this group has so much potential, we are really young and have so much space to improve and even today I felt like we kept on improving and feeling more comfortable and that is the way we need to keep going."
On his pass for the first goal: "It is something I spoke a lot about with the coach. He wants me to see these kind of balls and I tried a few in the first half and the second half and we scored. It is something we have tried to work on. In the second half we said, 'we have to keep doing this because it is really hard to defend these types of players. I hope it gives us many more goals this season."
Newcastle forward Yoane Wissa, speaking to Sky Sports: "I am very happy, to be part of the team and part of the club. The fans love their club and love the players and what they want is us to give them what we have. They never stopped singing or shouting so that is for them today.
"Of course we lost so many players but the club worked well. It is challenging and we need players to step up, like me for instance, I didn't play last yeat and now I have a chance to play. So many players have to step up and enjoy the challenge and with the fans behind us nobody can stop us.
"I am not injured and I feel confident now. I trust myself and I trust the manager and even though I didn't play last year I have trained a lot with the players and they know my movements.
"Eddie Howe did a top job and the new manager [Matthias Jaissle] came with a new identity and that [first goal] is something we have been working on. Every part of the game we are really precise. He is a really dynamic manager, so we have to give everything and I think he is the best signing of Newcastle so far."
Listen to more from Nico Gonzalez on BBC Sounds here and more from Matthais Jaissle here.
Did you know?
Newcastle United's Anthony Elanga failed to score from any of his 17 shots across 32 Premier League appearances last season but has netted in back-to-back outings in 2026-27 (two goals from four shots).
On his Newcastle United debut, Nico González made the most defensive line-breaking passes today (3) – his 48 overall completed passes were the most by a Premier League debutant for the Magpies since Sandro Tonali in August 2023 (also 48).
Michael Emons
BBC Sport journalist
Image source, Getty ImagesNewcastle fans may well have found themselves in the opposite position to Spurs supporters before the campaign had started - fearful of what was coming.
Tonali was one of three key departures from St James' Park, along with captain Bruno Guimaraes, who went to Arsenal for £85m this month, and England winger Anthony Gordon after his £69m move to Barcelona.
Manager Eddie Howe left on 31 July after nearly five successful years, which included guiding the Magpies to their first domestic trophy in 70 years with victory in the 2025 Carabao Cup.
German Jaissle, 38, was named as his replacement after managing at Red Bull Salzburg in Austria and Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia - with no experience of English football.
But his first three games have provided Newcastle's fans with a lot of hope.
They nearly beat 2024-25 champions Liverpool, only to concede a penalty in the ninth minute of second-half stoppage time to draw 2-2, before beating Championship side West Bromwich Albion 3-2 in the Carabao Cup second round.
"It is a good start - we are really, really proud," said Jaissle after his side's victory in London.
Gonzalez was booked only 12 minutes into his debut, but then impressed with a superb 30-yard pass to play a pivotal part in Newcastle's first goal.
But they had created earlier chances and nearly scored twice in the opening 10 minutes, only for Elanga and Harvey Barnes to squander opportunities.
Newcastle also started the second half well with Hall shooting over and Elanga taking the ball around home goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky, before being forced wide.
Further encouragement for the Magpies comes with Wissa's first league goal since 30 December in a 3-1 win at Burnley.
Wissa scored 19 Premier League goals for Brentford in 2024-25 to earn himself a £55m move to the Magpies, though an injury-ravaged campaign meant he only made 19 league appearances in 2025-26, including four starts.
He took his overhead goal superbly to complete a fantastic day for his club.
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Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.
Have your say on Tottenham's performance
What did you make of Newcastle's display?
Reaction and analysis to follow - and come back on Monday for a selection of your replies.
There are four games in the Premier League on Saturday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.
Liverpool v Nottingham Forest (12:30)
Bournemouth v Everton - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2
Coventry v Hull City - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live
Tottenham v Newcastle (17:30) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live
Kick-off times 15:00 BST unless stated.
Follow all of the action and reaction here
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We all thought this was going to be Tottenham's season but their defeat by Brentford was one of the extreme results at the weekend.
Roberto de Zerbi's said after the game that the players weren't fit enough, lost all the duels, weren't physical enough then used excuses about the pre-season and players coming in after the World Cup.
It looks like Newcastle are going to be the counter-attack kings this season. They've brought Nico Gonzalez in but whether he'll start I'm not sure but they have got pace as well.
Anthony Elanga scored last week having not scored at all in the Premier League last season but I have to say I haven't got a clue what this will be. I'm going to go for a Spurs win but I couldn't tell you why.
Sutton's prediction: 2-1
Big-spending Tottenham host a Newcastle side that boast an excellent recent record against the north Londoners. BBC Sport takes a look at some of the key themes..
After making such a shocking start to the season against Brentford last Saturday, Tottenham's 5-1 victory against Charlton in the League Cup at least provided a much-needed fillip.
The manner of Spurs' insipid defeat at the Gtech Community Stadium was as bad as anything seen under Thomas Frank or Igor Tudor last season and was of great worry to boss Roberto de Zerbi and fans alike.
Brentford had an xG of 3.87, six big chances and their 26 shots was the most Spurs had faced in 142 Premier League fixtures dating all the way back until October 2022.
The Lilywhites have accrued just 79 points from their last 77 Premier League matches since the start of the 2024-25 campaign, a tally that is under half Arsenal's total of 162 across the same period.
Just 36 of those points have come at home and surely top of De Zerbi's to-do list this season will be getting the club back to winning ways in front of their own supporters.
The north Londoners have a poor recent record against the Geordies with only one win in eight league encounters (D1, L6) and no clean sheet in 14.
Not only that, but Newcastle's tally of 13 away wins at Spurs in the Premier League is more than they've recorded against any other club.
One thing that has been guaranteed in meetings between these sides is goals. It is the most played fixture in Premier League history to never end 0-0, with at least one goal scored in all 62 of their meetings.
Fans were thrilled with the cameo by new recruit Savio against Charlton as he notched a goal and an assist on his debut. At £75m (rising to £85m with add ons), he's remarkably only the club's third most expensive signing of this summer alone following their unprecedented splurge in the transfer market.
But other than netting nine times for Girona in 2023-24, the Brazilian has never scored more than once in a top-flight season, a figure De Zerbi wants a huge improvement on. "The best wingers score many goals," the Spurs boss says. "I spoke with him: we put the (target) on 10-12 goals because we need 10-12 goals from the wingers."
After such a challenging and downbeat summer Newcastle fans were heartened and enthused by their performance against Liverpool under new boss Matthias Jaissle.
They put in a display full of pace and attacking endeavour and were only denied three points due to Dominik Szoboszlai's last-minute penalty.
At the forefront was player-of-the-match Yoane Wissa. After scoring just one league goal in an injury disrupted first season with the Geordies he had been written off in many quarters, but was superb operating in a new number 10 role.
Another player rejuvenated after suffering a tough debut campaign on Tyneside was Anthony Elanga. Having failed to score a Premier League goal, he finally got off the mark last week and it's surely no coincidence that his side played a style of football that wasn't dissimilar to the one he excelled in at Nottingham Forest.
And continuing on a theme, Joe Willock scored in the Premier League for the first time since February 2024 to end a run of 61 games and 40 shots without a top-flight goal.
One failing from last season that reared its head again was the surrendering of leads. The Magpies took their tally of points dropped from winning positions since the start of last season to a whopping 29.
Ciaran Kelly
Newcastle United reporter
Image source, Getty ImagesA lot has clearly changed since Nico Gonzalez first set foot in the Premier League a year-and-a-half ago and made his Manchester City debut against Newcastle of all teams.
Before City's 4-0 win, the new arrival had been warned about the intensity with which Newcastle's midfielders played and pressed at their snarling best.
However, the unfazed Spaniard ended up completing a staggering 100 passes and helped snuff out any potential breakaways from the visitors at Etihad Stadium.
It was a glimpse of the skillset - in and out of possession - which convinced City to sign defensive midfielder Gonzalez from Porto for £50m.
City's then manager, Pep Guardiola, even labelled him "our mini-Rodri" in the absence of his influential, injured team-mate.
Gonzalez ultimately found an extended run of starts hard to come by once his compatriot returned to full fitness, though.
But former Manchester City assistant manager Kolo Toure believes he will have benefited from his experience at the Etihad.
"When you are in competition against players like Rodri, you learn a lot because you come up against them in training and you have to show the manager you are better than them," he said.
"You learn from things they do as well and, on the ball, he learned a lot from Rodri. Without the ball he's really good because he can press, get it back and read the game really well.
"He has this capacity to steal the ball from opponents, which is top. He's better than Rodri at this in my opinion, but Rodri on the ball is the best in the world.
"Both of them have different qualities and different strengths."
Newcastle commentator Matthew Raisbeck says it's been another "challenging" summer for the Magpies and fears "a long year ahead".
Speaking to Matt Bailey in a special show where listeners can get to know the BBC Radio Newcastle commentator and learn about his journey in football, including that historic Carabao Cup win, 'Razor' spoke about yet another summer of change at St James' Park.
"It's been a challenging summer because it always is," he said. "No matter who owns the club, there is always something over the past few years.
"This year, managerial change and players leaving. Last year, the Isak saga. The year before that, they had Elliot Anderson going, Amanda Staveley left, a new sporting director. It always feels like the summer is difficult for Newcastle United.
"The season ends and I think we've enjoyed the World Cup but it feels like you don't get much of a break or a pause from Newcastle United anguish and anxiety. Could be a long year ahead."
Listen to the full conversation above or on BBC Sounds to hear about his favourite matches, the Carabao Cup win and co-commentator John Anderson. Razor and Ando (below) provide commentary for every Newcastle United game on BBC Radio Newcastle.
Image source, Getty Images
Serie A side Napoli are considering a loan move for Newcastle striker Nick Woltemade. (Fabrizio Romano - in Italian), external
Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column
Huzaifah Khan
BBC Sport journalist
Newcastle United boss Matthias Jaissle has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Tottenham at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (kick-off 17:30 BST).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
On team news, Jaissle said it's "too early" to put a clear timeframe on when William Osula will be back and he's "working hard" with Dan Burn and Joelinton to make a return.
Also on Bazoumana Toure, who was substituted at half-time in Wednesday's Carabao Cup match, he confirmed the midfielder was "feeling a bit of pain" but should be "fine" for the weekend.
On new signing Nico Gonzalez, the German boss confirmed: "He trained with us. And he looks sharp. He's an option [against Tottenham]."
Jaissle added: "He is a smart player. He has a huge potential and already brings so much quality in the squad, so I think he will adapt fast into our system, into our way of playing and then we can enjoy."
He knocked back a question on reports Napoli are interested in a loan move for Nick Woltemade, saying he had "nothing to add" and the striker is "important" for the club.
On the club's approach to the last week of the transfer window: "We want to be smart. We don't want to act in panic, so I'm really optimistic that things will happen."
On facing Tottenham this weekend, Jaissle said it's "difficult" to come up against a team that have made so many new signings.
He added: "We're doing our best and have a clear picture of what to expect. But we also need to be honest. We are facing a top, top team that will fight for the top places in the table for sure with these signings. But it's a good challenge."
On coming up against former Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali, he said: "It's always nice when you face old team-mates. There should be a special motivation. I think it worked against [Alexander] Isak already, so hopefully it will also work on Saturday."
Hit play above to hear more from Jaissle, speaking to BBC radio Newcastle's Matthew Raisbeck, or listen on BBC Sounds here
Got a question about Newcastle? Get in touch here and we'll seek answers from our experts
Image source, Getty ImagesWe asked for your views on Newcastle's 3-2 Carabao Cup second round win over Championship side West Brom on Wednesday.
Here are some of your comments:
Adam: Job done. On to the next round. Obviously it's more nuanced but a first competitive win this season. Came from behind to win too. Held on. New signings playing and playing well - Dedic, Steur, Toure. Lots to be optimistic about. Showing off Gonzalez pre-game a huge win too for the coming games.
Mark: I think it's going to be an interesting season. Going forward we look sharp at the back but we need to tighten up. The games so far have both been enjoyable and entertaining. More of the same please going forwards and sort the back line out.
Peter: Decent performance overall against a tidy West Brom side. Harvey Barnes again showing he is the best finisher at the club. Jacob Ramsey playing with growing confidence. I think Lewis Hall needs to have a chat with himself . I thought the pen at the weekend was very harsh but tonight's was obvious and he looks ill at ease with himself at the minute. Hope he decides to stay as he was our best player last season.
John: Looking much better than pre-season suggested. The new players look competent at the very least with a couple of gems. A solid performance against a decent Championship team with promise showing around the ground. Hopefully big Nick will get a goal soon to boost his confidence.
Alvin: Nice to have the first win under Jaissle but Woltemade is worrying - where does he fit? Dedic, however, has made the right-back slot his own. Team looks like it's getting used to a new style and with Gonzalez through the door things are looking up. Bring on Spurs!
G8: A first win for our new boss! We were good against an in-form team and were well worth the win. The low, vertical, forward passes are becoming a feature of our attacking. Early days, but Dedic looks a good player.
Newcastle boss Mathias Jaissle, speaking to BBC Radio Newcastle after Wednesday's Carabao Cup win over West Brom:
"It was really important that he [Harvey Barnes] showed up when needed and, in general, the guys were doing a really good job against a strong opponent.
"West Brom will do well in the Championship and the most important thing is we are a round further.
"In general, it was a good performance. We want to be active and we want to entertain our fans. That's what they also want, so we are happy."
"I'm really pleased with the energy. We have had two home games and the energy with the fans is amazing. Also, the spirit from the guys, the reaction, the character always after we concede a goal - how they respond is something we can really build on.
"There are also many aspects, after such a short time working together, that we can improve and we want to do that in the next weeks."
Listen to the full chat with Jaissle above or on BBC Sounds
Magpies forward Barnes, speaking to BBC Radio Newcastle after his double from the bench: "You could feel in the first half the game was level and we were maybe a little bit flat and needed a bit of energy.
"I just tried to bring a bit of energy. It was great to make a quick impact and continue that throughout the second half. We got a much-deserved win in the end.
"He's [Jaissle] been really good. He's very passionate and animated, and he's bought that energy to the training sessions and everything around the game. I think you can see that on the pitch in our performances.
"The manager has had success before in his career and that is why he's come here. We want to go all the way in this competition."
Listen to the full chat with Barnes above or on BBC Sounds
And hit play below to hear analysis from BBC Radio Newcastle's Matthew Raisbeck and former Magpies defender John Anderson, or listen here on BBC Sounds
Newcastle have not yet walked away from a deal to sign Lille and Belgium winger Matias Fernandez-Pardo, 21, but will not do anything that causes problems in meeting Premier League and Uefa spending rules. (Mail - subscription required, external)
Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column
Image source, Getty ImagesThe draw for the Carabao Cup third round has been made. Here is a list of all the ties involving Premier League teams in the order they were drawn.
The matches will be played in the weeks commencing September 7 and September 14.
Crystal Palace v Middlesbrough
Manchester United v Brighton
Manchester City v Norwich City
Sunderland v Hull City
Ipswich Town v Arsenal
Coventry City v Aston Villa
Bournemouth v Lincoln City
Liverpool v Tottenham
Chelsea or Luton Town v Leeds
Millwall v Newcastle United
Everton v Wolves
Reading v Brentford
West Ham v Fulham or AFC Wimbledon
Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.
Come back to this page on Thursday to find a selection of your replies
