Well-drilled Toon to test sloppy Spurs
Tottenham v Newcastle
Saturday 29 August, 17:30 kick-off
Live on Sky Sports Premier League/Main Event
Tottenham went all-in this summer while Newcastle had their team ripped apart, but it was the Magpies who were far more impressive on the opening day as Matthias Jaissle's men drew with Liverpool while Roberto De Zerbi's new Spurs suffered a hammering at Brentford.
The answer for this new Tottenham was to splurge even more cash, surely overpaying for Savio (previously known as Savinho) considering his output while also bagging Omar Marmoush on loan. And they're 6/52.20 favourites to win their home opener.
Di Zerbi will put it all together at some point but there'll be teething problems as he tries to fit all his shiny new signings into a one coherent structure. That's something Brentford had and Newcastle seemed to have in Jaissle's debut.
The Magpies are 2/13.00 away underdogs but will look at that Brentford blueprint to try and exploit Spurs' structural shotcoming. Newcastle were compact and hardworking against Liverpool, with cutting edge from the speedy Anthony Elanga and excellent Yoane Wissa.
Newcastle turned 39% possession into 1.57 xG and looked dangerous on every break, while Spurs struggled with creativity and cutting edge with just 0.57 xG from their 59% of the ball at Brentford - that could be a dangerous combination for the hosts.
And after last week it's already a big game even this early in the season, so the draw at 13/53.60 is very much in play. I'm not sure on goals as De Zerbi will know all about Newcastle's counter attack and won't want another slow start like being 2-0 down after half an hour last week, so I'm expecting quite a tight affair - with the visitors stout enough to get a point.
Back the draw
Back 13/27.50 Spurs Bet Builder double
The one point on goals is that Newcastle did allow the third-highest xG (2.98) of the round to Liverpool last week, even though it didn't look or feel like it.
Traditionally you'd fancy both over 2.5 goals, which is 6/101.60 here and both teams to score, priced at 8/151.53, when these two meet, but I'm not feeling it enough to back too many goals either in match bets or player props in Bet Builders.
Richarlison is the 7/52.40 favourite for anytime scorer while Wissa is 2/13.00 and looked incredibly lively last week, but I'd plump for 4/15.00 Elanga to strike again. Ever dangerous on the break the flying winger will fancy he's got the legs on Andy Robertson.
Robertson is 4/15.00 to commit 2+ fouls but if he starts that seems like a great price.
Alexander Isak got some stick off his former Newcastle team-mates last week and we can expect the same for Italian midfielder Sandro Tonali - who is 10/111.91 to be fouled 2+ times and is sure to attract plenty of attention from the visitors.
Mikey Moore has been the bright spark for Spurs so far, as he showed in the Carabao Cup with a goal and assist, but even against Brentford he had three shots and hit the target with all of them.
He's worth backing here for 2+ shot on target at 11/43.75.
Double him with Tonali fouls for a really nice Bet Builder double around the 13/27.50 mark and maybe wait for the teamsheets to see if Robertson starts - then you can either back his fouls as a solid single or add him for a monster treble of around 36/137.00 as it stands.
And after Savinho's pulsating debut expect another cameo here, but the bookies have been warned so he's 4/61.67 to have a shot on target and 3/14.00 to score. I'll take a watching brief on him this week.
Back Tonali fouled 2+ times and Moore 2+ shots on target