Newcastle United walked off the pitch on Tuesday night with the kind of frustration that lingers long after the final whistle. What felt like a near-perfect evening collapsed in the final seconds, turning what should have been three vital Premier League points into a painful 2-2 draw against Tottenham Hotspur.
Eddie Howe’s side had done the hard work, taken the risks, and twice pushed themselves into the lead, only to watch Cristian Romero drag Spurs back into the game with a late header deep into injury time. For supporters, it was another reminder of a recurring issue. For Howe, it sparked one of his rare moments of open criticism.
Howe is not the type of manager to publicly lash out at his squad. He tends to protect them, soften his words, and frame every comment with care. But on this occasion, the disappointment was too sharp to hide.
After the match, he cut a dejected figure alongside Jason Tindall, and his tone made it clear that this was not just another tough night it was one that tested him.
He spoke about the way his team lost control after restoring their lead late on, describing how they allowed Spurs to push them back, lost territory and failed to manage the tempo. He admitted that the side struggled both defensively and offensively on set pieces, a weakness that hurt them throughout the evening.
While his words were measured, the criticism was unmistakable. There was a sense that Newcastle had thrown away a victory through lapses in concentration and poor decision-making, and Howe did not shy away from hinting at that. His comments suggested that difficult conversations would follow once the squad returned to training.
The disappointing result also brought a new layer of concern with the Wear-Tyne derby just around the corner. December 14 is circled in the minds of both sets of fans, and even though several fixtures remain before that date, the build-up has already begun.
Sunderland, enjoying an unexpected surge this season, sit above Newcastle in the table. Supporters had hoped that with Sunderland facing Liverpool and Manchester City in quick succession, Newcastle might climb above their rivals before derby day.
In stoppage time against Spurs, that scenario looked entirely possible. Newcastle were heading back into seventh place, just a point off Sunderland. But Romero’s late equaliser dropped them back to 13th and kept the gap at three points.
The pattern of conceding late is becoming a troubling theme, and with Sunderland known for scoring late themselves, the timing could not be worse.
One of the bright spots of the evening was Bruno Guimaraes, who once again showed why he remains the heartbeat of the team. Even though he was handed a rare rest and left out of the starting XI, he was full of energy during the warm-up, smiling and encouraging teammates.
His introduction at half-time, forced by a knock to Sandro Tonali, changed the game instantly. His beautifully struck goal on 71 minutes lifted St James’ Park and reminded everyone of his quality.
Bruno has now been involved in 12 goals in his last 20 Premier League home appearances, and his connection with the Gallowgate End grows stronger with every match. But even he could not hide his frustration afterward, saying he would trade his goal for a win without hesitation.
Another significant milestone came with Anthony Gordon’s penalty, which marked Newcastle’s 100th Premier League goal against Spurs the first club for which they have reached a century.
It should have been a meaningful moment in a winning performance, especially given Tottenham’s poor showing in their previous match, but instead it became another footnote in a night defined by frustration.
Newcastle had won five of their previous six meetings with Spurs, and when Gordon made it 2-1 in the 86th minute, it felt like history was about to repeat itself. Instead, the statistic that matters most is that Newcastle have now dropped 11 points from winning positions this season.
There was also attention on Dan Burn, who has had his role questioned in recent weeks but continues to show resilience. His reminder before the Athletic Bilbao match that centre-half remains his natural position proved timely.
With Sven Botman injured and Fabian Schär rotating in and out of the line-up, Burn has re-established himself alongside Malick Thiaw as Howe’s trusted centre-back pairing.
Burn captained the side against Spurs and will be disappointed to have been beaten by Romero for the first goal, but his place in the team appears secure for now.
Overall, the night summed up Newcastle’s season so far: moments of brilliance overshadowed by costly lapses, a team capable of competing with anyone but still struggling to close out games.
With the derby looming and crucial fixtures piling up, Howe’s side must find a way to turn these moments of frustration into stability, control, and late-game maturity. The manager’s rare show of criticism may be exactly the spark needed to make that happen.
