May it be a happy New Year as Geordies march on to Tottenham Hotspur in an effort to start 2025 with the right jaunty gait.

Big Ange is supposed to walk in the style of Kevin Keegan and his Entertainers but actually Newcastle's heroes were much more consistent. Twice they finished Premier League runners-up.

Postecoglou blames Spurs' iffy form - nine PL defeats already this season - on a horrific injury list which has unquestionably struck at their very heart but equally others believe his insistence on playing a ridiculously high line has caused chaos. Certainly United are chasing a double because they took full advantage of Tottenham parking their back four almost on the halfway line up here when Alexander Isak scored his first of many this season which turned out to be the winner.

READ MORE: Newcastle United have 'next Jack Grealish' on Eddie Howe's wishlist as Man City starlet targeted

READ MORE: Sky Sports set to screen Newcastle and Liverpool games for free in major development

Those who fear for Ange point out that Russell Martin at Southampton got the sack for sticking defiantly to his front foot philosophy even when things were going horribly wrong though to be fair Spurs have much better attacking players who when in full flight can be breathtaking.

Dominic Solanke, Heung-min Son, Dejan Kulusevski, and Brennan Johnson sometimes stoked by James Maddison can become a tidal wave. That is why Hotspur come with a health warning but more of that later.

However if United can stand tall and firm at the back then Postecoglou could play into their hands with the pace the Mags possess on the break. Our front can be as devastating and even more so than theirs. In many ways this is the same sort of challenge as Newcastle faced at Manchester United facing a historically massive club without the form to back up their reputation.

Tottenham are currently tottering. They finished December with just five points from a possible 21 having been held at home 2-2 by relegation worried Wolves last Sunday and have conceded 13 goals in their last three home games across all competitions.

Last time out was the 15th game in which Tottenham had fallen behind at home in 2024, which is a record, and it was the first time they will finish a calendar year in the bottom half of the table since 2008-09. Not the record of an elite club.

At the centre of a defensive storm is a Geordie who began his career with Newcastle and will now face his home town club on wobbly legs.

Fraser Forster is having a nightmare. Aged 36 with a top class career which saw him perform for Celtic, Southampton and Spurs winning six England caps, he is enduring a period of repeated mistakes.

Originally Forster played for Stocksfield's junior side before heading to Wallsend Boys Club while attending the Royal Grammar School in Newcastle. He had six years tied to SJP though a lot of his time was spent out on loan and he made no first team appearances before leaving in 2012.

United must pile the pressure on him never giving him time to build confidence and always anticipating a possible blooper.

However all Tottenham's gloomy figures must come with a significant warning when they possess the forward skill and power at their disposal particularly with in-form Dejan Kulusevski. All right, a game might be high scoring because of their defensive frailties but they can still win it at the other end and they must do so again at some time in the near future. Spurs certainly carry significantly more threat than Man U.

What is infuriating for Geordies is that Fabian Schar's ill discipline in getting repeatedly booked sees him missing on Saturday lunchtime and again across north London at Arsenal in the Carabao Cup. Two different competitions and two different sets of rules but he has fallen foul of both.

It is particularly vexing because of an obvious lack of right sided cover. Should Emil Krafth and Sven Botman be deemed to still be in recovery after lengthy injuries Howe's options will be severely limited, perhaps to Lloyd Kelly. He normally plays either left of two central defenders or left-back but his preferred foot is his right which would be a help. Whatever happens won't help the balance or understanding of a back four which with the help of Martin Dubravka have kept four successive PL clean sheets.

However if Schar's absence encourages quality Tottenham forwards then injuries to their back line must have Isak, Anthony Gordon and Jacob Murphy licking their lips in anticipation.

United have piled up 21 goals in their last seven matches which is rapid firepower. They have never scored less than two, have three times notched three, and twice four. No one is forecasting 0-0!

A quick goal completely changes the complexion of any game and in their last three Newcastle have set the tone striking within 26 seconds at Ipswich, 75 seconds against Aston Villa, and three minutes at Man U. Explosive in the extreme.

Match day, January 4, is my birthday and I cannot think of a better present than three points to keep us high in the PL pecking order after a recent slump to 12th.