Tottenham confirm Newcastle friendly in Australia just three days after Premier League season ends

Tottenham will face Newcastle in a friendly in Australia on May 22, just three days after the end of the Premier League season.

The Melbourne Cricket Ground will host the fixture, with Ange Postecoglou returning to the city he grew up in and previously coached. Kick-off will be at 7:45pm local time.

The final day of the Premier League campaign is Sunday May 19, when Tottenham travel to take on Sheffield United and Newcastle away to Brentford.

There is every chance that Spurs’ Champions League ambitions are still on the line heading into that match. Postecoglou’s side sit fifth in the Premier League table, three points behind Aston Villa but with a game in hand.

While the FA Cup final will be played a week later, both Tottenham and Newcastle have been knocked out of the competition by Manchester City and so their seasons will come to an end after their final Premier League fixture.

It remains to be seen how strong the teams are that make the trip to Australia, with a number of players from the two squads already set for busy summers at the European Championship or Copa America.

Spurs visited Perth as part of their pre-season preparations last summer, facing West Ham, and now make another trip Down Under.

The club’s Chief Football Officer, Scott Munn, said: “We are delighted to be heading to Melbourne for a post-season fixture against Newcastle United.

“Being able to take our team overseas is always a huge honour. We have amazing global support and to have the opportunity to connect with those fans who may be based thousands of miles away but are fanatical about the Club is truly special.

“When we visited Perth last summer we were blown away by the warmth shown to us by our Australian fans, and I know it will be the same in Melbourne."

Newcastle will also face an A-League All Star team on May 24, two days after the Spurs fixture, as part of a double-header at the Marvel Stadium in Melbourne's Docklands.

That match will kick off at 8:05pm local time, with the Arsenal Women taking on the A-League All Star Women's side in a 5:15pm kick-off.

Arsenal sporting director Edu said: “We’re so happy our women’s team will be playing in Australia for the first time ever this May.

“We’re really proud that this special match against A League Allstars Women will give our supporters in Australia a fantastic opportunity to see our players in action and give our players a chance to connect with everyone who loves the game there.”