Tottenham are reaching a critical point of their season as the race for the top four looks set to go to the wire. As Spurs know, it's often less about how you start a campaign, but how you finish it as last year a resurgent side managed to secure fourth at the expense of north London rivals Arsenal.
This time around, it's almost been a reverse as they started the year well under Antonio Conte, but the Italian failed to turn around a poor run of form and some cup exits led to his eventual dismissal. It has left Cristian Stellini and Ryan Mason in interim charge for the rest of the season.
"If we have to think about all the season, it is a long history this season because many things happen and we lived a difficult period with a lot of situation, humanly and with many injured players," Stellini told the media before the trip. "It was a difficult season but I think also that we fight all season against fate, against all our problems and this is important to grow like a man, like a team. For me the players are continuing to fight to reach the target. This is very important that we believe again, and in ourselves every day and every day in training and in the match."
READ MORE: Newcastle vs Tottenham LIVE: Confirmed team news as Sarr starts and Stellini changes formation
With the clash against Newcastle being a huge decider in the race for top four, it didn't go to plan for the travelling fans. Just one minute into the game, Jacob Murphy opened the scoring, with Joelinton doubling that lead just five minutes later as the defence was cut through with ease.
Murphy was on the scoresheet again with a long-range effort before Alexander Isak's quickfire brace ensured Spurs were 5-0 down just 20 minutes into the game. Fans in the ground were heard chanting 'Levy Out', while those at home took to social media to react to the proceedings in an awful start for the away side.
@107THFC: "This is the most embarrassing thing I have ever seen."
@rawr_michaela: "Conte was right… we’re a walking L."
@fralundh: "#LevyOut please."
@jhoover99: "I'm embarrassed to be a Spurs fan right now #ENICOut #LevyOut."
@TurfGuyz: "I've never seen this before. Has the club ever allowed this to happen in any other match in its history? 5 goals in 21 minutes."
@MattLmuso: Think the Emergency Siren is a hour late @SpursOfficial! #Spurs #TottenhamHotspur #emergencyalert"
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