Newcastle routs Tottenham at home again as Isak scores twice in 4-0 win in Premier League

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Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak, centre, scores the opening goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur at St. James’ Park in Newcastle, England, Saturday, April 13, 2024. (Owen Humphreys/PA via AP)

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Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak celebrates after scoring his side’s third goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur at St. James’ Park in Newcastle, England, Saturday, April 13, 2024. (Owen Humphreys/PA via AP)

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Newcastle United’s Anthony Gordon, left, scores their side’s second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur at St. James’ Park in Newcastle, England, Saturday, April 13, 2024. (Owen Humphreys/PA via AP)

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Newcastle United’s Fabian Schar, centre top, scores their side’s fourth goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur at St. James’ Park in Newcastle, England, Saturday, April 13, 2024. (Owen Humphreys/PA via AP)

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Tottenham Hotspur’s head coach Ange Postecoglou reacts during the English Premier League soccer match between Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur at St. James’ Park in Newcastle, England, Saturday, April 13, 2024. (Owen Humphreys/PA via AP)

NEWCASTLE, England (AP) — Newcastle handed Tottenham another drubbing at St. James’ Park as Alexander Isak’s double helped secure a 4-0 win for Eddie Howe’s team in the Premier League on Saturday.

Isak and Anthony Gordon both scored within 95 seconds of each other in the first half as Newcastle followed up last season’s 6-1 home win over Spurs with another dominant performance to damage Tottenham’s hopes of a top-four finish.

Isak, who also scored twice in that big win last April, capped a stellar performance with a second goal in the 51st minute to take his tally to 17 in the league and 21 overall this season. Gordon added his second assist of the game with a corner that was headed home by Fabian Schar for the fourth goal in the 87th.

“Playing football is really fun at the moment, especially when we have days like this,” Isak said. “When the fans are like they are always when we play at home, it feels like we are so strong here.”

Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou, who took charge after last season, had said this week that he had not studied the tape of the 6-1 loss and he probably won’t want to watch this one back, either.

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Tottenham’s defense fell apart repeatedly and star center back Micky van de Ven was partially at fault for the first two goals as he slipped both times and let Isak and Gordon go past him inside the area. Gordon had set Isak up for the opener in the 30th minute and then netted the second himself in the 32nd after pouncing on a poor ball from Tottenham right back Pedro Porro back toward his own goal.

The third came when Bruno Guimaraes helped Newcastle win possession just outside its own area and then launched a long ball up the pitch for the speedy Isak to run onto. The striker made no mistake when one-on-one with goalkeeper Vicario, calmly slotting the ball inside the far post.

“We have spoken about being more precise with our passes, because Tottenham have a high line so if we have good passes we can hurt them in behind,” Isak said. “The service today was incredible.”

Isak has now scored in six straight league home games and became the first Newcastle player since Alan Shearer in 2003-04 to reach 20 goals in all competitions in a topflight season, despite missing a total of 10 matches with groin injuries.

Schar was then left open to head home Gordon’s corner from eight yards out to cap the rout.

The bigg loss meant Tottenham dropped below Aston Villa into fifth, behind Unai Emery’s side on goal difference.

Newcastle is sixth, 10 points behind Villa and Tottenham.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/Soccer