Tottenham player ratings at Newcastle: Spurs survive and advance

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NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND – AUGUST 11: Deandre Yedlin of Newcastle United is challenged by Eric Dier of Tottenham Hotspur during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur at St. James Park on August 11, 2018 in Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom. (Photo by Tony Marshall/Getty Images) /

Eric Dier-7

Dier didn’t have the World Cup he would have liked, but that did allow him to start the opening match of the season for Spurs. He put in a very solid effort for the club. He can certainly play better, but this was a steady performance by the English international.

Some will criticize Dier for making several rash, or perhaps reckless, challenges, but that’s what he was on the pitch to do. Tottenham needed someone to provide read steel in their midfield. For most of the match, Dier was the one Spurs player who actively broke up play in the middle.

He also gets a slight boost from his distribution of the ball. Dier seems to have made a concerted effort to get rid of the ball quicker this season. That should make him a better two-way player for Pochettino.

Moussa Sissoko-6

The Frenchman gets a lot of stick from Tottenham fans on social media, and some of it is well-deserved. He wasn’t a disaster in this match though. Sissoko put in a reasonable shift against his former club.

In the first half he was guilty of giving the ball away cheaply on several occasions. He fixed that error in the second 45 minutes. He is never going to be the team’s most creative player, but he did help the club grab a foothold in the midfield. In the long-term Tottenham need to acquire an upgrade, but he put a fair shift in today.

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