Newcastle United supporters have seen this story before.
St James’ Park has produced unforgettable nights, dramatic goals, and bruising defeats for visiting teams—Tottenham Hotspur included. When Anthony Gordon fired Newcastle ahead late on Tuesday night, the home crowd sensed another famous victory. Chants of “It’s happening again!” echoed around the stadium.
But this time, history took a cruel twist.
In the 95th minute, Spurs captain Cristian Romero stunned the ground with a spectacular overhead equaliser, leaving Newcastle fans deflated and Eddie Howe searching for answers. It was the latest chapter in a worrying pattern: once again, Newcastle surrendered a lead in stoppage time against a top Premier League side.
So far this season, no team has dropped more points from winning positions—11 in total—than Newcastle United.
And the consequences are severe. Instead of sitting near the top of the table, the Magpies are stuck in 13th place, miles behind leaders Arsenal. In fact, if they had simply held on to leads against Spurs, Brentford, West Ham, and Arsenal, Newcastle would unbelievably be sitting top of the Premier League.
A Team Struggling to Finish What They Start
Newcastle’s collapse against Spurs mirrors other painful late concessions this season:
- Liverpool – August: 100th-minute Rio Ngumoha winner
- Arsenal – September: Gabriel’s 96th-minute equaliser
- Tottenham – December: Romero’s 95th-minute overhead kick
Despite historically being strong closers under Howe, Newcastle suddenly can’t manage late-game pressure.
“It’s a strange one… Historically we’ve been very good at seeing games out. We need to re-find that quickly because it’s costing us important points,” Howe admitted.
The numbers prove it. Eleven dropped points is the difference between a title challenge and mid-table obscurity.
A Glimmer of Hope at Home—Then Another Blow
Before facing Spurs, Newcastle appeared to have turned a corner at St James’ Park. After the heartbreaking loss to Arsenal in September, they rattled off six straight home wins across all competitions. Dan Burn echoed the optimism in his matchday programme:
“Under the lights at St James’, I always fancy our chances.”
And why wouldn’t he?
Spurs had won just one of their previous seven matches.
Yet despite an away-day breakthrough at Everton days earlier, Newcastle’s home momentum came crashing down.
Substitutes Shine—But Newcastle Fail to Close Out the Game
Bruno Guimarães and Anthony Gordon made big impacts off the bench:
- Guimarães: fired Newcastle in front
- Romero: pulled Spurs level with a diving header
- Gordon: restored the lead with a confident penalty in the 86th minute
At 2–1 up with nine minutes of added time, Newcastle simply needed to manage the ball and run down the clock. Instead, they gave Spurs encouragement and space to launch one last attack.
Spurs boss Thomas Frank praised his side’s resilience:
“A very difficult place to go down twice and come back. The mentality in the team was extraordinary.”
How Newcastle Gifted Spurs the Equaliser
The decisive moment came from a routine corner that Newcastle failed to deal with.
Goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale—standing in for the injured Nick Pope—chose to punch the ball, but the clearance barely left the box. The ball hung awkwardly in the air.
What followed felt like slow motion:
- No Newcastle defender attacked the bouncing ball.
- Romero was unmarked.
- He had time to position himself.
- His overhead kick slipped through a crowd of black-and-white shirts.
- Ramsdale reacted late.
2–2.
Two more points gone.
St James’ Park fell silent.
A Psychological Problem? Howe Thinks So
Howe didn’t sugar-coat the issue after the match:
“Sometimes it becomes psychological… a fear of conceding. Our best defence is to attack, but sometimes you need to simply see it out and defend better.”
It’s a stark admission—and one that reflects a deeper concern. Late collapses aren’t just tactical failures. They can become mental habits.
And right now, Newcastle are stuck in one.
Where Do Newcastle Go From Here?
If Newcastle had held onto leads in just four matches, they would be top of the Premier League table. Instead, they’re 13th and battling for momentum.
The season is far from over, but Howe and his squad must break the cycle quickly. Whether it’s tactical adjustments, psychological resilience, or renewed defensive organisation, the Magpies need to rediscover the ruthless edge that defined them last season.
Until they do, the points—and their ambitions—will continue to slip away in stoppage time.
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