Here is the bad news for Thomas Frank – Tottenham are back at home on Saturday.
But, for now, he will celebrate a point on Tyneside as if it were three, given his side were heading for a fourth-straight defeat until Cristian Romero’s overhead kick in the fifth minute of added time. It was the Argentine’s second equaliser of the night.
His first, on 79 minutes, was a diving header flashed home from a Mohammed Kudus cross, and what a fine goal that was. But it did not compare to his spectacular intervention at the death, and one that could yet breath fresh life into Frank’s reign.
Next up is the Dane’s former club Brentford back in north London, where Spurs have not won in the Premier League since the opening day. They will, though, take confidence from this fightback.
For Newcastle, the nature of the equaliser could yet have a draining effect, so close were they to a third win on the bounce in the league. This was the third time they have lost points in stoppage-time at St James’ Park this season, and no team has surrendered more than their 11 from winning positions in the top-flight.
They were halfway through the nine added-minutes and ahead thanks to Anthony Gordon’s 86th-minute penalty when Tottenham loaded a high corner and Aaron Ramsdale failed to clear with a punch.
Romero returned with a scissor-kick, albeit it via his shin, and, as if in slow motion, the ball cut through three black and white jerseys. Ramsdale looked at fault as the effort bounced by him on his line, but he would have expected at least one of his defenders to block.
Frank said: ‘That was the perfect bicycle kick – with the shin! He deserved that. His headed goal was better than most strikers. I really liked the character and mentality of the team.’
It was a game Newcastle thought they had won when Bruno Guimaraes curled into the bottom corner in the 71st minute, the home captain on at half-time and donning his cape when his team needed it most. But it was Romero who would prove to be Tottenham’s superhero. His goal cost Newcastle six places in the table.
‘I’m not sure I needed to hear that,’ said Eddie Howe. ‘We’re hugely frustrated with ourselves. We’ve got to do better and be more savvy.’
The late drama was in stark contrast to a goalless first half. It was briefly entertaining when Kudus juggled the ball like a street artist deep inside his own half. Except this was not the street and his art was more akin to vandalism. He inevitably lost the ball and Tottenham, and not least their winger, were spared when Jacob Murphy volleyed over the crossbar. Frank spun towards his dugout wearing the expression of a man who would be keeping his penny firmly in his pocket.
But then, once the high-wire act was retired, they gloved up. There was, for a period, a fight and spirit about Spurs that few had perhaps expected.
One sub-plot was the Battle of South America in which Romero was booked for taking out Joelinton and Uruguayan Rodrigo Bentancur followed up by taking a nibble at the Brazilian.
On the back of this came Tottenham’s first shot on goal during the first half of their last four matches, Lucas Bergvall flicking over from close range. At the other end, Joelinton chose to respond by hitting the post rather than his continental adversaries. His low shot cracked the base of the upright and bounced to safety.
Harvey Barnes and Nick Woltemade went closer for the hosts shortly after half-time, the former seeing his low poke blocked by goalkeeper Vicario before the latter followed up and was unfortunate when Kevin Danso cleared his header from the goal-line.
It took an expert steer from Guimaraes to break the deadlock but the award of Gordon’s penalty felt soft. Bentancur and Dan Burn wrestled and Stockley Park deemed the Spurs midfielder the aggressor after they both ended up on the floor.
Romero, though, would soon drag his team from the canvas.
