Tottenham's fans pleaded with Harry Redknapp to snub
England and stay at White Hart Lane this evening as
the Spurs boss masterminded a brutal hammering of Newcastle.
Louis Saha scored his first two goals for the club
and there were also strikes from Benoit Assou-Ekotto,
Niko Kranjcar and Emmanuel Adebayor as Spurs moved within
five points of the Barclays Premier League summit.
The performance was one of the team's best of the season
and came amid a background of constant adulation from
the home crowd towards their manager.
The 64-year-old started the week with the prospect
of jail hanging over him, but by Wednesday afternoon
he found himself in the clear and in pole position to
take over as England's head coach following Fabio Capello's
shock resignation.
Chants of "you're Spurs and you know you are''
greeted Redknapp as he made an emotional return to the
dugout and "we want you to stay'' rang out on several
occasions as the home support made it clear that they
did not want to lose their boss, who has transformed
the club from relegation candidates to title chasers
within just over three years.
Redknapp acknowledged their chants with a warm smile
and wave, but it remains to be seen whether their pleas
will be enough to make their boss stay at White Hart
Lane.
The reality is surely that he is extremely interested
in taking Capello's place and on today's evidence, it
is easy to see why he is the overwhelming favourite
for the post.
If any of the four-man FA board tasked with appointing
Capello's successor was watching today, they will have
been delighted with what they saw.
Despite being without key talisman Rafael van der Vaart,
who was out with a calf injury, Redknapp's men started
in devastating fashion and were two up after five minutes.
With barely three minutes on the clock, Adebayor played
a one-two with Kranjcar and he crossed for Assou-Ekotto,
who rifled home from a tight angle to score after three
minutes.
Two minutes later it was 2-0. Adebayor peeled off down
the right, muscled his way past Fabricio Coloccini and
crossed for Saha, who turned home from six yards.
Redknapp, usually a restrained figure on the bench,
sprung to his feet and punched the air with glee.
Tottenham continued to pulverise the away side and
added their third in the 20th minute.
Luka Modric jinked into the box and found Adebayor
and he laid the ball off to Saha, who smashed home from
12 yards.
Demba Ba curled a free-kick just wide, but otherwise
Newcastle barely threatened in the first half.
Spurs were playing some of their best football under
Redknapp and the popular manager was on his feet again
in the 34th minute as the home side scored again.
Tim Krul's save from Adebayor's close-range shot ricocheted
in to the path of Kranjcar and he swept home from 15
yards for his first Spurs goal in a year.
Newcastle boss Alan Pardew turned away in disgust at
his team's defending and they did little to suggest
they were capable of offering anything at the other
end.
Ba drove a low shot straight at Brad Friedel but Tottenham
were soon on the attack again through Saha, who curled
a shot just wide.
Adebayor, Assou-Ekotto and Kranjcar all missed chances
in first-half injury-time.
Pardew ditched the ineffective Obertan at half-time
and brought on Shane Ferguson in his place.
There was no let-up in the Spurs pressure, though,
as the hosts looked for a fifth.
Bale played a delightful chip over the Magpies' back
four but Adebayor mistimed his run and the Togo striker
wasted another chance moments later by screwing his
shot wide.
Redknapp thanked the jubilant home crowd once more
as they chanted his name.
Newcastle gained more possession, but they could only
muster a weak attempt on goal from Jonas Gutierrez,
and moments later Krul was once again picking the ball
out of his net.
Saha nodded Assou-Ekotto's cross towards Adebayor and
he wrapped his right leg around his marker to poke home
and make it 5-0.
With 24 minutes left Redknapp brought on Jermain Defoe
and Aaron Lennon for Bale and Saha, who received a big
hug from the Spurs manager.
Kyle Walker skinned his marker and whipped in a cross
but Adebayor just missed the header that would have
made it six.
Newcastle missed a great chance to score a consolation
soon after but Gosling skied over from six yards after
Friedel had done well to save Ba's point-blank header.
At the final whistle, an emotional Redknapp gave his
thanks to all four corners of the ground before disappearing
down the tunnel, clearly delighted with his team's performance.
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