Ange Postecoglou said that he was “the angriest I have ever been in my career” following Tottenham Hotspur’s defeat to Newcastle United on Saturday.
Dominic Solanke gave Spurs an early lead but goals from Anthony Gordon and Alexander Isak saw them suffer a 10th defeat in 20 league games this season. Spurs are struggling to cope with a long injury list, which includes first-choice defenders Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie, while illness affected the squad this week.
Fraser Forster, who has been deputising for Guglielmo Vicario in goal while he recovers from a fractured ankle, was ruled out through illness which also impacted Radu Dragusin and Archie Gray’s ability to train. It meant Brandon Austin, Tottenham’s third-choice goalkeeper, made his debut against Newcastle.
Lucas Bergvall lost the ball in the build-up to Gordon’s equaliser but TV replays showed his pass hit Joelinton’s hand. Postecoglou said he was “hugely proud” of his team’s performance but “they didn’t get the rewards they deserved.”
“Considering everything we had to go through and the situation we are in right now to put on a performance like that, I take my hat off to the players,” Postecoglou said after the match.
“I thought they were outstanding. I’m just really, really angry, the angriest I think I have ever been in my career that they were denied the right rewards for a fantastic performance.”
#TOTNEW – 7’
The referee’s call of goal was confirmed by VAR, who checked for a potential handball by Joelinton in the build-up and deemed that his arm was by his side, in a natural position and the contact was accidental.
— Premier League Match Centre (@PLMatchCentre) January 4, 2025
Postecoglou was then asked to clarify if he was talking about the officiating and the decision to allow Gordon’s goal to stand.
“I know you just want me to say something but I’m not going to,” he said. “I think it’s clear. Now whether people agree with me or not whether it wasn’t handball or it was accidental, I’m just not interested in any of that discussion. What I’m saying is, on any given day with a fair and even playing field and logical thought processes we would have won that game, that’s it. You can make what you want of that. I don’t know what else to say about it.”
The result means Tottenham have failed to win their last six league games at home. They are next in action on Wednesday evening in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final against Liverpool.
GO DEEPER
The Briefing: Tottenham 1 Newcastle 2 – Where were Maddison and Son? Can Isak keep scoring?
(Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
