Newcastle 0-2 Tottenham: Dele Alli and Ben Davies strike to seal victory over 10-man Magpies as captain Jonjo Shelvey receives bizarre red card

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Life in the Premier League was always going to be hard for Newcastle United. Newly promoted and unable to improve the squad as much as manager Rafael Benitez would like, an opening game against Tottenham called for unity, togetherness and maybe some common sense, too.

For 48 minutes at St James’ Park, Newcastle had it right. Nothing special but they were never likely to be. They remain essentially a Championship team and against last season’s Premier League runners-up, it was always going to be a case of muddling through.

But, yes, they just about had it right for a while. They sat deep and played on the counter. In the opening 45 minutes, they restricted Tottenham to pretty much one decent chance. At half-time, Benitez would not have been disappointed.

Ben Davies strikes to add Tottenham's second goal of the game and seal victory for his side at St James' Park

The defender was mobbed by his team-mates while Newcastle players lay around dejected after defeat was all but confirmed

Dele Alli slides in to volley the ball past Newcastle goalkeeper Rob Elliot and opening the scoring at St James' Park

The England international left Elliot helpless and watched on as he scored Tottenham's first goal of the 2017-18 campaign

Alli lets out a scream of celebration after breaking the deadlock as team-mate Harry Kane joins in on the action

In football, though, things change. Games turn on the back of great skill, a piece of luck or a mistake. They can also turn on moments of madness and that happened here.

There had been no spite in the game beforehand. Harry Kane had been booked for a lunge at Florian Lejeune and it looked bad but the Tottenham striker was at least trying to win the ball.

Jonjo Shelvey, however, was not going for the ball when he trod on Dele Alli in that 48th minute. Seemingly irked by Alli’s previous refusal to give him the ball during a break in play, Shelvey almost casually walked on his opponent’s ankle as he prepared to restart the game.

MATCH FACTS, PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE & PLAYER RATINGS

NEWCASTLE: Cec Elliot; Dummett (Lascelles 7), Clark, Lejeune (Mbemba 34), Manquillo; Hayden, Shelvey, Atsu, Perez; Ritchie, Gayle (Merino 76)

SUBS NOT USED: Ja Murphy, Aarons, Darlow, Mitrovic

BOOKED: Ritchie

SENT OFF: Shelvey 47 

MANAGER: Rafa Benitez

TOTTENHAM: Sch Lloris; Davies, Vertonghen, Alderweireld, Walker-Peters; Dembele (Winks 90), Dier, Sissoko (Son Heung Min 58); Eriksen, Alli (Wanyama 82), Kane

SUBS NOT USED: Janssen, Vorm, Wimmer, Carter-Vickers

MANAGER: Mauricio Pochettino 

GOALS: Alli, Davies

BOOKED: Kane, Davies

REFEREE: Andre Marriner

ATTENDANCE: 52,077

MAN OF THE MATCH: Kyle Walker-Peters 

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Christian Eriksen picked out Dele Alli expertly for the midfielder to open the scoring -CLICK HERE for more from Match Zone

 

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There was no stamp and Alli recovered enough to score Spurs’ first goal. Shelvey looked stunned when referee Andre Marriner produced the red card.

But did the 25-year-old do it on purpose? It is impossible to construct an argument that he did not. Whether he intended to injure Alli is not the point. It was a red-card offence and pretty much decided the game.

On TV, Graeme Souness, no stranger to colourful moments, said Shelvey had gone ‘from captain to clown in 10 minutes’. On Twitter, former Newcastle captain Alan Shearer called Shelvey ‘pathetic’.

Condemnation arrives quickly these days but Shelvey is experienced. He will have known the gravity of his sin by the time he reached the dressing room where, we are led to believe, he later apologised to his team-mates.

Christian Eriksen, who played a sublime through-ball assist to Alli, jumps in on the celebratory huddle following the goal

Moments earlier Jonjo Shelvey was issued a bizarre straight red card after appearing to purposely tread on the ankle of Alli

Alli was on the floor when Shelvey approached him to take the ball, before standing on his ankle when Alli wouldn't comply

Alli immediately reacted to the situation and his Spurs team-mates around him immediately began to appeal to the ref

Jamaal Lascelles tells shoves Harry Kane away from Shelvey as the England striker takes offence to his actions

The Newcastle captain had to make the long walk down the tunnel, leaving his team to play out the tie with one man down

Certainly, Shelvey had left his team adrift. Tottenham have their own issues but their gifted group of players were then far too strong for a depleted Newcastle team.

Newcastle had lost two players to injury during the first half. Paul Dummett suffered a hamstring pull and then Lejeune departed following Kane’s challenge in the 34th minute.

So, after Shelvey’s dismissal Tottenham faced a side who had twice reorganised their defence and then lost their captain and best midfielder. It was a miracle they scored only two.

The first goal arrived soon after the red card. Newcastle goalkeeper Rob Elliot had saved well from Kane but had no chance when Christian Eriksen landed a cross on Alli’s left foot six yards out.

Alli, connecting on the volley and on the stretch, still managed to find the required softness of touch. The ball was steered back across Elliot and Tottenham had a lead they were never going to give up.

Youngster Kyle Walker-Peters made his debut for Spurs and looked to have given away a penalty after fouling Dwight Gayle

But referee Andre Marriner dismissed the claims and ruled offside in favour of Tottenham, sparing Walker-Peters' blushes

The debutant then went on to have a mightily impressive first game for Spurs and picked up Man of the Match accolade

Harry Kane shapes up to unleash an effort on goal, which rasped the post from long range in the latter stages 

The striker takes a moment to reflect after missing a promising opportunity to open his goal scoring account

Tottenham did not go on to submerge Newcastle. It was not that kind of performance, but Mauricio Pochettino’s team controlled the game perfectly and Newcastle did not have a hint of an opportunity at the other end until their opponents had doubled their lead.

The unlikely scorer was Wales left back Ben Davies. He had scored just once in the league before yesterday but showed intelligence in the 70th minute to follow his own pass into the penalty area and fire home from 12 yards.

St James’ Park felt as if someone had thrown a blanket over it and only a shot into the side-netting by Christian Atsu with 10 minutes left even hinted at a comeback.

There was still time for Kane to strike a post at the death. The England striker is rarely prolific in August and this would have been a good way to change that.

Tottenham did not need his goals this time. Here in the North East, Shelvey did much of their hard work for them.

Spanish manager Rafa Benitez gesticulates after a decision is not given in favour of his side, as the home fans watch on

Newcastle players huddle together for the first team talk of the campaign and their return to top flight English football