Ciaran Kelly
BBC Sport reporter at St James' Park

Newcastle United have made two changes for the visit of Tottenham Hotspur to St James’ Park.

Sandro Tonali comes in for captain Bruno Guimaraes and winger Jacob Murphy replaces Anthony Elanga in the starting line-up as head coach Eddie Howe freshens up his side a little following their weekend win at Everton.

Newcastle starting line-up: Ramsdale, Livramento, Thiaw, Burn, Hall, Tonali, Miley, Joelinton, Murphy, Woltemade, Barnes

Subs: Ruddy, Schar, Gordon, Elanga, Willock, A.Murphy, Guimaraes, Ramsey, Neave

Spurs captain Cristian Romero returns from suspension as the visitors make four changes.

Rodrigo Bentancur, Pape Matar Sarr and Brennan Johnson also come into the side following the weekend defeat against Fulham.

Spurs starting line-up: Vicario, Danso, Udogie, Bergvall, Romero, Kudus, Johnson, Porro, Sarr, Bentancur, Kolo Muani.

Subs: Kinsky, Palhinha, Xavi, Richarlison, Tel, Gray, Spence, Odobert, van de Ven.

Newcastle have won five of their last six Premier League games against Tottenham (L1), as many as they had in their previous 17 (D2 L10).

Image source, Getty Images

Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham midfielder Lucas Bergvall speaking to Sky Sports: "We're really motivated. It's going to be a tough game but we need to go out there today and perform.

"Every away game in the Premier League is tough, especially here at St James' Park. So we need to go out today and be ready.

"The focus is on us. We need to go out there tonight and perform and to win."

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank needs a result. He was so relaxed when he was at Brentford but now he just looks like a guy under pressure.

Frank saying the supporters who booed Guglielmo Vicario after his mistake against Fulham "can't be true Tottenham fans" underlines the friction he is feeling at the moment, but he does have a point about the effect that has.

As a player who has been booed a lot over the years, I can tell you that it doesn't have a positive impact on your performance. Being serious, though, I just don't get it - it just creates negativity.

The Spurs players will probably be relieved to be playing away after that, but Newcastle have found a bit of form in the past week so this is not an easy trip at all.

Tottenham have already lost at St James' Park this season in the Carabao Cup, and I am going for a repeat result, by the same score line.

Sutton's prediction: 2-0

Tensions are high at Tottenham after Saturday's loss at home to Fulham. Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario made a poor mistake, leading to Spurs falling 2-0 down.

Boos could then be heard coming from the home end aimed towards Vicario.

Paul Robinson
Former Tottenham and England keeper on BBC Radio 5 Live

Image source, Getty Images

Away from home Tottenham have been OK up until recently when they shipped four against Arsenal last week and five against PSG in midweek. The performance against PSG was better but losing to Fulham at home at the weekend was disappointing.

I think the big problem is they're shipping goals in. They've conceded 11 in their last three games whether that's home or away. There's a few disgruntling voices around Thomas Frank at the moment.

For me, it's far too early. He's a proven he's a top manager at the top level and let's not forget that Tottenham finished 17th in the league last season, they were the worst team that didn't go down. There has to be big improvements this season.

Tom McCoy
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Opta

Tottenham failed to recover from a disastrous opening six minutes against Fulham in which they conceded twice, eventually being booed off after a 2-1 home defeat.

Frank says supporters are entitled to vent their feelings after the final whistle but believes it is "completely unacceptable" that some booed goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario immediately after his error for the second goal, adding they "can't be true Tottenham fans".

Criticism of match-going supporters, whether valid or not, can be a slippery slope for Premier League managers and an improved performance is needed to stop the pressure building on Frank.

A trip away from London might help. Spurs were soundly beaten in three derby matches last month yet remain unbeaten in Premier League games outside the capital this season, collecting 10 points from a possible 12.

More attacking threat would also boost Frank's popularity. Tottenham's tally of 124 shots is the third lowest in the top flight this season, and equivalent to 9.5 per game. They have never ended a full Premier League campaign with fewer than 11 shots per match.

Have Newcastle turned a corner?

After two poor defeats on the bounce, Newcastle came out on top against Manchester City before hammering Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Can they make it three wins on the spin tonight?

Ciaran Kelly
BBC Sport reporter at St James' Park

Image source, Getty Images

It was just a few weeks ago that Spurs went third in the Premier League following an impressive away victory against Everton.

But Thomas Frank’s side have since won just one of their last seven games in all competitions, and the Dane hit out at a section of his own supporters after goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario was booed following a costly error in the defeat against Fulham at the weekend.

Newcastle United, by contrast, have seen their fortunes change in a very different way of late after Eddie Howe’s team ended a seven-month wait for an away win at Everton and recorded back-to-back victories in the top flight for the first time since April.

It feels like Newcastle have the momentum Spurs are sorely lacking right now.

No wonder Frank deadpanned “perfect timing” ahead of this game after noting Newcastle had won each of their last six games in all competitions at St James’ Park.

In fact, it was just last month that Spurs were defeated here in the Carabao Cup.

This will be an almighty test of his side’s mettle - and the visitors need to respond.

BBC Radio 5 Live

Alistair Bruce-Ball is joined by Izzy Christiansen, Clinton Morrison and Statman Dave for around-the-grounds coverage of this evening’s Premier League fixtures.

Tune in from 19:00 GMT on BBC Sounds or on the 'Watch & listen' tab at the top of this page.

Bournemouth

Bournemouth winger Amine Adli speaking to Sky Sports: "After losing it is always nice to have a game a few days after because you can react directly, so it's good for us to play and at home. We'll do our best to have a better result today.

"The table is very tight so we know that today is very important. A win can make us come back up the table, so we will do our best. We are still looking forward. In this moment the results are not the best but we are able to change the situation."

Bournemouth have named their youngest ever Premier League starting XI - average age 23 years, 254 days - while it's the youngest in the competition this season by any side.

Tom McCoy
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Opta

Bournemouth's home form has been strong this season, with 14 of their 19 points earned at the Vitality Stadium. They are one of only four teams yet to lose a Premier League match on their own patch in 2025-26.

While Andoni Iraola's side have slipped into the bottom half after claiming just one point in November, they have an excellent record in December. The Cherries have lost just one of their past 12 top-flight games in the year's final month, winning seven of those fixtures.

In the absence of Erling Haaland's goals, Phil Foden stepped up as the matchwinner against Leeds last time out, with the Englishman netting twice, including the decisive streak in injury-time.

Foden only scored seven Premier League goals last season, a substantial drop from his haul of 19 in 2023-24. Despite his double at the weekend, the 25-year-old has often played a slightly deeper, more creative role in the current campaign.

Guardiola has described Foden as "one of the best players we have in small spaces" and is increasingly relying on his ability to take the ball under pressure, evade the press and deliver incisive passes to team-mates in more advanced positions.

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City

Manchester City midfielder Tijjani Reijnders speaking to Sky Sports: "This is an important game again. We want to put pressure on Arsenal, especially because of the result of the last games, the one we won in added time and they got a draw, so it's getting closer. We go from game to game and want to put pressure on them.

"This season [away games] didn't go smooth but of course we are ready. It is going to be tough, like any game in the Premier League."

On what the manager would like to see tonight: "That we are willing to play, to take risks when possible and play our own game like we always want to. Tonight is a good opportunity to show that again."

If Manchester City win tonight they will move within two points of Arsenal at the top of the table before the Gunners play Brentford tomorrow night.

It's a chance for City to pile the pressure on their title rivals.

Fulham have won four of their last five home Premier League matches (L1), their only defeat in this run coming against table-topping Arsenal. The Cottagers are looking to win three in a row at Craven Cottage for the first time since December 2023.

After a strong start to the season Bournemouth have slipped down the Premier League table and currently sit in 11th. Andoni Iraola's side are winless in their last four league games, losing three and conceding 12 in that run.

The Cherries' leaky defence has shipped the most goals (23) outside of the four teams at the bottom of the table.

Image source, Getty Images