Tottenham Hotspur were denied an important three points as they suffered late heartbreak in a 1-1 draw against Newcastle United.
Lucas Moura's first-half finish seemed to have given the hosts a big victory but after Eric Dier was deemed to have handled the ball inside the box by VAR, Callum Wilson stole a point for Steve Bruce's men.
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Positives
From their width to their aerial play to how tight they looked defensively, this was a far more impressive display from Tottenham than the scoreline would suggest. Everyone was going the extra mile to prove themselves whether it be through impeccable timing on the ball or a determination to put their foot on the gas even when they had the lead. Who knows, maybe the arrival of superstar Gareth Bale had something to do with that as the squad continues to try and prove themselves to the gaffer.
Negatives
There were occasions when Spurs gave Newcastle too much time on the ball and as the minutes went by, they were happy to let the Magpies come at them -- which is always a risky strategy given how many mistakes stem from their back four. The real question mark, however, looms over their inability to completely kill off the match as a contest.
Manager Rating
7 -- Jose Mourinho stuck to his guns with a conservative 4-3-3 formation and while some may call that stubborn, he did appear to instill a renewed sense of composure in this Tottenham side. He clearly understands the physical demands that will come from their hectic upcoming schedule and their improved attacking presence will please those who believe he's too negative.
Player ratings (1-10; 10 = best, players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)
GK Hugo Lloris, 6 -- The Frenchman probably should've brought a magazine with him to the stadium after a dismal attacking display from the visitors, but that all changed in injury time and he was unfortunate not to save Wilson's penalty.
DF Matt Doherty, 7 -- With stronger chemistry comes a more complete performance from Doherty as the former Wolves star shone in both halves of the pitch.
DF Davinson Sanchez, 6 -- He kept things simple and helped to control Newcastle's forwards in a manner that few would've anticipated.
DF Eric Dier, 5 -- The England international's 34th-minute header was poor but apart from that, Dier was assured and consistent in his partnership with Sanchez. That is, of course, until his controversial handball handed Newcastle their equaliser.
DF Ben Davies, 5 -- Sometimes looked as if he was chasing shadows due to bad positional play but he did grow in confidence as the game went on prior to almost costing his side with a bizarre clearance.
MF Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, 7 -- The ex-Southampton midfielder was active, passionate and ready for the fight in yet another powerful outing.
MF Harry Winks, 6 -- There's rarely going to be calls for Winks to win the Man of the Match award due to his "play it safe" style, but he did keep Spurs moving at a decent pace.
MF Giovani Lo Celso, 7 -- He works so hard to create chances and that resilience often carried Tottenham's various drives into the final third.
FW Lucas Moura, 6 -- If you put aside his tap-in at the far post, this was yet another example of why Moura's place in the starting XI looks to be in jeopardy, as he loses the ball too frequently.
FW Son Heung-min, 7 -- From rampant goalscorer to a frustrated striker, Son was unlucky not to score after rattling the woodwork twice.
FW Harry Kane, 7 -- The main man's distribution is rapidly turning into one of his best attributes, as he produced yet another smart assist for Moura's goal.
Substitutions
FW Steven Bergwijn, 6 -- While he does track back well it appears as if the 22-year-old has lost a step with his speed, although he wasn't afforded too many opportunities to prove himself on the counter.
MF Tanguy Ndombele, N/R -- Helped to keep things ticking along in the middle of the park as Tottenham tried to see out the rest of the game with a cheeky flick to complete his performance.
FW Erik Lamela, N/R -- Worked the goalkeeper with a nice free kick in the 84th minute to cap off a solid cameo.