EPL: Newcastle 0-2 Tottenham

Davies scored Spurs second

Tottenham opened their Premier League campaign with a 2-0 win at Newcastle as the Magpies' top-flight return was sullied by Jonjo Shelvey's red card.

Rafa Benitez's side had delivered a disciplined first-half display until Shelvey lost his soon after the restart, treading on Dele Alli's ankle in front of the referee to leave a side that had already lost two players to injuries facing an even sterner task.

Alli made Shelvey's team-mates pay, meeting a Christian Eriksen cross at the back post in the 61st minute, and Ben Davies slotted a second soon after (70) as last year's runners-up shrugged off scrutiny of their transfer business to start with three points on the first Nissan Super Sunday of the season.

Newcastle had started brightly in the Tyneside sunshine, old boy Moussa Sissoko enthusiastically booed, but Dwight Gayle caught an early half-volley with shin rather than boot and saw a penalty appeal rendered academic by an offside flag.

Paul Dummett had hobbled off with a hamstring injury just eight minutes in and Benitez was forced into a further defensive reshuffle when Harry Kane scythed down debutant Florian Lejeune, Chancel Mbemba sent on in his place.

Eriksen watched a snapshot spin wide of the post and saw a curling effort comfortably claimed but an organised Newcastle side largely nullified Spurs' threat and carried their own on the counter, Christian Atsu a regular source of spark down the left.

 

Benitez would have been buoyed at the break but he was fuming just two minutes after the restart when Shelvey was shown a straight red, treading witlessly on Alli's ankle in front of the referee after the Spurs player had provocatively prodded the ball from his grasp.

The game lurched into life, Kane scenting his 100th Tottenham goal only to be denied by Rob Elliot at point-blank range, but, to the chagrin of St James' Park, it was Alli who made the breakthrough, meeting Eriksen's clipped ball on the stretch at the far post.

 

Spurs were now in control and Alli was involved in a neat second just nine minutes later, his flick eventually falling to Davies to slot into the far corner.

Mauricio Pochettino's side might have had a third but Kane, set free by Heung-min Son's through-ball, clattered a post, his wait for a Spurs milestone - and a first Premier League goal in August - stretching on.