Tottenham’s unbeaten run is ended after late defeat against Newcastle

Eric Dier headed Spurs into the lead six minutes before half-time, but Steve McClaren’s Magpies equalised through Aleksandar Mitrovic in the 74th minute and his fellow substitute Ayoze Perez then struck an injury-time winner.

Tottenham were consequently unable to take advantage of Manchester United’s defeat at Bournemouth on Saturday and remain three points outside the top four.

There was one change from the Spurs side that had lined up against West Bromwich Albion in their previous league fixture. Mousa Dembele was absent due to a foot injury and Tom Carroll, who scored his first senior goal for Tottenham in Thursday’s Europa League victory over Monaco, was rewarded with his first Premier League start for the club – more than four years after his first appearance in August 2011.

Spurs made an encouraging start as Harry Kane forced a low save from Rob Elliot inside the first minute, but Newcastle also had a chance at the other end. Siem de Jong attempted to curl the ball around Hugo Lloris from the edge of the box but his shot hit his team-mate Papiss Cisse on the head as the striker ran behind Spurs’ defenders.

The opportunities quickly dried up though and the game became an attritional affair with plenty of full-blooded challenges but little quality in the final third.

Toby Alderweireld and Dele Alli tried to replicate their goal against West Brom as the defender launched a long ball up to the 19-year-old, who could not quite control it and get a shot off.

Christian Eriksen fired wide from outside the box and Danny Rose sent a cross slightly too far in front of Kane, while Cisse headed harmlessly wide from a deep Paul Dummett cross.

Spurs were struggling to break down their visitors but they found another gear in the last 10 minutes of the first half.

Rose played a neat one-two with Carroll and pulled the ball back for Lamela, who hit a first-time shot that curled away from Elliot, forcing him to dive and make a one-handed save.

Kane then flicked header on to Lamela, who got a shot off 10 yards out. And, although he was again denied as Elliot palmed it over the bar, Tottenham scored from the ensuing corner as Dier headed home from Eriksen’s delivery.

Spurs could have extended their lead before the interval as Eriksen’s shot hit Fabricio Colocconi and rebounded to Rose, but he drilled his low shot wide of the far post with Kane sliding in.

Newcastle made a positive start to the second half as Moussa Sissoko freed Cisse, who sent a low shot across goal from a tight angle.

And, while Kane saw a powerful 25-yard strike saved by Elliot, the Magpies continued to worry Spurs. Cisse got a header on target but it was too far out to trouble Lloris.

Pochettino swapped the largely ineffective Carroll for Heung-Min Son but Newcastle promptly equalised. Jack Colback swung a free kick to the back post and, when Coloccini headed the ball down, Chancel Mbemba stooped to head goalwards. Lloris dived to stop it crossing the line but Mitrovic was on hand to force it into the net.

Dier then lost the ball in Newcastle’s half and Sissoko escaped down the right flank before putting in a low cross, but Alderweireld blocked it six yards out.

Spurs were frustratingly unable to mount much of an assault in the closing stages and Newcastle looked the more likely scorers.

Mitrovic was inches away from getting a touch on Sissoko’s low cross and the visitors then struck in the final moments. Georginio Wijnaldum lifted the ball over the top and Mitrovic headed it on to Perez, who got in behind Jan Vertonghen and fired through Lloris, who should have done better.

Tottenham: Lloris, Walker, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Rose, Dier, Carroll (Son 69), Lamela (Chadli 86), Alli, Eriksen, Kane

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