You knew that Newcastle's stay in the second division wasn't going to last all that long. The Magpies were immediate returnees to the Premier League after a season in Championship, and they figure to be back in the top flight for a long time to come. Their first tussle as returners from Championship will come against a Tottenham team fresh off of one of its best seasons in club history.
This league duel will go down Sunday, August 13, 2017, at 8:30 a.m. ET at St. James' Park. The match will be televised live on NBC Sports Network.
Opening Soccer Odds at BookMaker.eu
Newcastle +375
Tottenham -144
Draw +270
Over/Under 2.5
Odds Analysis
Tottenham is facing new expectations this season, and perhaps that comes a bit unfairly. The team had a magical season last year and exceeded all expectations. But the problem now, is that a second place finish isn't good enough again. The Spurs expect to ultimately win the league at some point in the not distant future, and that probably isn't a fair expectation.
That said, Tottenham is the -144 moneyline favorite in this match against Newcastle. It's probably a decent number even though most know that Newcastle isn't your average newly promoted side. This should be a mid-table team by the end of the year, and you have to put that in perspective when handicapping this match.
Key Injuries
DeAndre Yedlin who, of course, has come to St. James' Park from Tottenham, has a hamstring problem and likely isn't going to be in the fold for this one for Newcastle. Jamie Sterry and Dwight Gayle figure to be fit for the new season, though both are officially on the questionable list as of the publication of this article.
Tottenham kicks off the year with a few notable names on its injury list, but most are expected to be alright either now or in the near future. The biggest injury is that Heung-min Son, who enjoyed a tremendous season last year for the Spurs, is out with a broken forearm that he suffered while playing for South Korea in its World Cup qualifiers in the summer. Danny Rose also isn't fit for the start of the season and is reportedly going to end up sitting out through Labor Day.
Recent Form
Rafa Benitez's side came through the Championship with ease last year, topping the table and never leaving doubt about its return to the top flight. That said, the team didn't do a heck of a lot in the summer transfer season, and it didn't play against any of the top teams in the league or in comparable leagues to prepare for this first duel against Tottenham.
The Spurs had a much different preseason, one in which it was able to beat PSG and Juventus while losing to AS Roma and Manchester City. Better will be needed for sure, but this team knows that it's on the right track at the moment.
Free Soccer Betting Pick
It's going to be easy to get caught up in all of the great offensive weapons Tottenham has at its disposal. Harry Kane and Dele Alli are young and as good as it gets at the top flight, and both had great years in 2016-17. That said, Son was the man who really made that lineup go, and taking both he and Rose out of the lineup is a big concern to us.
Though we wouldn't be shocked if Tottenham came to St. James' Park and scratched out three points as was its M.O. during most of the end of last season, this is a club pointed at some regression this year. It's a good spot for a Newcastle United team that should have never been relegated in the first place to start off its season with a point.
League Odds: Newcastle 1, Tottenham 1
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