Tottenham Hotspur beat Newcastle United 2-1 at St James' Park thanks to first-half goals from Jan Vertonghen and Dele Alli.
Vertonghen opened the scoring early on with a close-range header off the underside of the crossbar, only for Joselu to level things up with a header of his own a little over two minutes later.
Dele peeled off his man to score what proved to be the winner with less than a quarter of the game played, though, as Spurs left the North-East with all three points.
Relive how the 90 minutes of action unfolded with Sports Mole's live text coverage below.
Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of the Premier League clash between Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur at St James' Park. Spurs have endured a frustrating summer as they failed to bring in a single new face during the shortened transfer window, while Newcastle - themselves hardly heading into the new campaign on a high - did at least manage to add a handful of recruits to their squad.
As ever with Newcastle, they are only a few bad results away from a full-blown crisis, so Rafael Benitez will be desperate to get off to a positive start on home soil today. Tottenham finished in the top three of the Premier League last season for the third year running - not since the 60s have they managed that - but you get the impression that claiming a Champions League spot this time around may be a tough task.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR TEAM NEWS!
STARTING XI: Lloris; Aurier, Sanchez, Vertonghen, Davies; Dier, Sissoko; Eriksen, Dele, Lucas; Kane
SUBS: Vorm, Alderweireld, Walker-Peters, Amos, Dembele, Son, Llorente
Tottenham had 13 fitness and injury doubts heading into this match, with eight of their players involved in the World Cup right until the final weekend. The big news is that five of those players have returned to fitness in time to feature this afternoon, including last season's leading scorer Harry Kane. Hugo Lloris, who lifted the World Cup aloft at the end of France's successful campaign, is also included in goal.
There are also starts for Jan Vertonghen, Eric Dier and Dele Alli of those involved deep in the World Cup, so this Spurs side is perhaps not quite as depleted as many anticipated. One of those to miss out is full-back Kieran Trippier, so Serge Aurier is handed a start on the opposite flank to the reliable Ben Davies, while Davinson Sanchez - one of the star men in Russia - completes the back five.
Christian Eriksen, Dele Alli and Lucas Moura will line up in a three-man midfield just off star man Kane, who is without a goal in 13 Premier League games in the month of August. That is a staggering statistic when you consider his overall scoring record, having gone some 898 minutes - and a total of 44 shots - without finding the net. In terms of Tottenham's other absentees, Harry Winks, Juan Foyth, Victor Wanyama and Erik Lamela are also out.
NEWCASTLE UNITED TEAM NEWS!
STARTING XI: Dubravka; Yedlin, Lascelles, Clark, Dummett; Ritchie, Shelvey, Diame, Kenedy; Perez; Joselu
SUBS: Darlow, Manquillo, Schar, Ki, Atsu, Muto, Rondon
This Newcastle lineup is not too dissimilar to the ones regularly fielded by Benitez in the second tier a couple of years ago. Martin Dubravka signed a permanent deal over the summer and Kenedy has returned on loan, but there are no new faces at all among the starters. That is worrying for the Magpies, and goes a long way to showing just why Benitez has been left so frustrated over the summer.
Salomon Rondon will no doubt go on to become Newcastle's first choice option up top, but he only arrived earlier this week so Joselu is instead given the nod for this opening fixture. It is a similar case for Yoshinori Muto, who at £9.5m is the Magpies' marquee signing, as he will have to battle it out with Ayoze Perez - one of United's better players in the tail end of last season - for a spot in the side.
As expected, skipper Jamaal Lascelles and Ciaran Clark are preferred to Fabian Schar and Federico Fernandez in the heart of defence, with the latter not even on the bench today. Ki Sung-yeung is the last of Newcastle's new recruits, and the South Korean could well play a part at some point if his side are chasing a goal. The headline news, then, is that Benitez sticks with the group that earned a top-half finish last time out.
Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino includes five of his late returnees from the off, including World Cup-winning skipper Hugo Lloris and top scorer Harry Kane, who is seeking a first goal in the month of August. Rafael Benitez, meanwhile, leaves new signings Fabian Schar, Ki Sung-yueng, Yoshinori Muto and Salomon Rondon on Newcastle United's bench.
Newcastle claimed 10th spot in the Premier League last season following a brief flirtation with the relegation zone, which marked an impressive finish on their return to the top flight. Benitez has yet again had one hand tied behind his back during the summer, however, with owner Mike Ashley reluctant to loosen the purse strings. It is incredible to think that United have again turned a profit.
The Magpies can very much hold claim to being a club on the brink of a crisis, as popular boss Rafael Benitez has been pushed closer to the St James' Park exit, players recently went on a media strike due to a row over bonuses - which has since been resolved - and supporters have threatened to revolt. In fact, a large group of fans have held a protest outside a branch of Sports Direct in the city centre this morning.
All this comes down to one man, of course, with Mike Ashley leaving the club in a precarious position. Benitez somehow guided this side to a top-half finish last time out, but having only really added Rondon to his starting lineup, you have to wonder just what season the Toon are in for this time around. Ashley will argue, however, that he has at least strengthened since May, in contrast to Tottenham who have exactly the same squad.
This is effectively still a squad of Championship players, and with the deadwood from last season - Swansea, Stoke, West Brom - making way for some ambitious promoted clubs, you can see why many have backed Newcastle to struggle. Benitez has his work cut out, then, and it seems highly unlikely that he will stay on beyond next summer when his three-year deal expires. The Spaniard will not struggle to find another job.
Newcastle won their opening pre-season match 4-0 at St Patrick's Athletic, before playing out draws with Hull City and Porto and losing to Braga and Augsburg. It is hardly the best way to enter the new campaign, having failed to net in any of those last three friendlies and conceded a combined five goals. The Augsburg match in particular was worrying, as the Magpies just could not put the ball in the net and were then picked off at the other end.
To make matters worse for Benitez, he has been dealt a difficult hand in terms of fixtures to start the season. Newcastle face Tottenham, Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal in their first five matches - a trip to Cardiff City on matchday two the only reprieve - so getting points on the board could prove difficult. The biggest worry for Benitez is that fan protests begin to spiral onto the pitch as the weeks go on.
That may be taking an overly-negative approach to things, but it is hard to be too positive when it comes to Newcastle. Last season was a huge success - in the end, at least - as they finished in the highest position of a newly-promoted club since West Ham United (also 10th) in 2012-13. It should be remembered that the Magpies started the last campaign with three losses on the spin for the first time in 18 years.
DID YOU KNOW? Newcastle United have not won on the opening day of a Premier League season since beating Tottenham Hotspur in 2012 - a Demba Ba strike and Ben Arfa penalty either side of Jermain Defoe's goal inflicting a first defeat on Spurs boss Andre Villas-Boas. A similar result today and owner Mike Ashley will no doubt feel justified in his approach.
Newcastle have lost just one of eight Premier League home games since the turn of the year, beating the likes of Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea. The only blip came against a West Bromwich Albion side scrapping for their lives, so Benitez will be hopeful of taking that into the new season. Survival is ultimately the main goal, and if they can match that home form they should stay above the dotted line.
Rafael Benitez deserves huge praise for guiding Newcastle United to 10th place in the Premier League last season - the highest finish of a promoted club since West Ham United in 2013. The Spaniard, loved by the Toon Army, has had to operate on a shoestring budget once again this summer, and there are serious concerns about the quality of this side.
Tottenham may not have strengthened over the summer, but unlike many other clubs in the division they do seem to have a bit more of a plan. That will do little to calm down many of their furious supporters, who have vented all the criticism in the direction of a certain Daniel Levy. It seems like years of hard work and smart negotiating have gone down the pan due to one disappointing summer.
The Lilywhites finished third in the Premier League last time out, but that was a regression on their second-placed finish from the year before. More of a concern to supporters, though, was the failure to challenge for silverware - progressing past the semi-finals of the FA Cup proving to be one step too far - and it is now more than a decade since they added a trophy to the cabinet.
Spurs actually became the first Premier League team to fail to make a single signing since the summer transfer window was introduced in 2003. Pochettino, to his credit, has put on a brave face in front of the cameras and insists that he is happy with his current group. Harry Kane's new contract was a huge coup, of course, and this is a hugely talented group that could well push on, but Spurs really could have done with a Jack Grealish or Wilfried Zaha joining.
The central midfield engine room is also a little bare, but the Lilywhites have made clear that they will not pay over the odds for new recruits. Ahead of their move to a new 61,000-capacity ground next month, it will be interesting to see if a settle group of players, playing under one of the finest managers in the world, can equate to title success. After finishing third, second and third, gloomy Spurs fans are now wondering whether their best chance in a generation to lift the top-flight crown has passed them by.
Pochettino has acknowledged over the past couple of weeks that winning a cup of some sort this season is imperative. Tottenham are a favourite of every neutral, but if this talented crop go another year without actually achieving tangible success it will lead to more mocking from some quarters. Spurs head into the campaign on the back of a decent enough pre-season, having defeated Roma and AC Milan in the United States, before drawing 2-2 with Barcelona.
Then came a 4-1 loss at Girona, which was always going to catch headlines, but Pochettino was justified in his comments after the match about his players being jet-lagged. Put it this way - the Lilywhites will be feeling a lot fresher today than they did last weekend following a trek half the way around the world. The big question, of course, is whether Kane & Co. can hit the ground running.
Spurs travel to Man United and play host to Liverpool in the first six weeks of the season, so those World Cup stars have to find their groove early on. This is actually the eighth year running that Tottenham have started their campaign away from home - only Barnsley, with nine between 1988 and 1896 - have gone on a longer run in top-flight history. Spurs have lost 10 opening-game fixtures since the Prem launched in 1992 - only West Ham have lost more.
PREVIOUS MEETINGS! This is the fourth time that these two sides have met on the opening weekend of a Premier League season - the most of any fixture - and the second in as many years. Tottenham Hotspur won 2-0 here in this corresponding fixture last year through goals from Dele Alli and Ben Davies after Jonjo Shelvey had seen red. The match at White Hart Lane in May finished 1-0 to the Lilywhites.
With kickoff on Tyneside now just a couple of minutes away, let us check out some pre-match thoughts from both camps.
Rafael Benitez: "I am not happy we are looking to just survive every year. When I decided to stay here it was because it was a project. Everyone knows that we can't compete against Man City or Man United, but we can do things in the right way. Maybe we can be more competitive or closer to European positions, maybe we could challenge for a trophy. That was the idea. Then we finished 10th and credit to our players, but I still thought we could do something more to be closer."
Mauricio Pochettino: "Of course, it's difficult to understand for people that Tottenham didn't sign or sell players, but sometimes in football you need to behave differently. If we are happy with our squad and cannot improve our squad, sometimes it's better to keep our squad together. We believe a lot in our players and why not repeat a similar season like last year or the season before, and with more experience? We are going to be better - no doubt about that."
KICKOFF: Newcastle United, looking to avoid a third successive defeat without scoring against Tottenham Hotspur for the first time since 2005, get their campaign under way. Spurs won 10 away matches last term; can they carry that form into this season?
Only Manchester City (41) collected more points than Tottenham (40) from the start of January onwards last season. That counts for little in a new campaign, of course, but Spurs did end 2017-18 as the third best team in the country.
Some good running from Ayoze Perez, who impressed whenever I saw him in the final few months of last season, leads to the ball breaking for Joselu. The Spaniard's shot was blocked inside the box, but that was a promising moment for the Toon.
A free kick from out wide is not properly dealt with by Tottenham, and Matt Ritchie was never going to pass up the chance of a shot from 22 yards. It was a miscued effort, though, ending high and wide of Hugo Lloris's goal.
Mo Diame gives away the ball in midfield, spelling bad news for Newcastle. Spurs charge forward through Lucas Moura, who did well to make some space when inside the box but saw his shot blocked by covering defender Ciaran Clark.
GOAL! NEWCASTLE UNITED 0-1 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (JAN VERTHONGHEN)
Tottenham Hotspur open the scoring at St James' Park through bizarre circumstances. Christian Eriksen's shot was going wide but Martin Dubravka took no chances and pushed it wide. From the corner, Davinson Sanchez's knockdown was glanced goalwards by Jan Vertonghen from close range, hitting the bar and dropping over the line. Play continued but the goal-line technology confirmed it did indeed cross the line.
GOAL! NEWCASTLE UNITED 1-1 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (JOSELU)
Less than three minutes after falling behind, Newcastle United are back on level terms! A nice goal it was, too, as Matt Ritchie swung in a delightful cross via his left foot out on the right wing, allowing Joselu to ghost in between Jan Vertonghen and Davinson Sanchez to nod the ball past a helpless Hugo Lloris.
And breathe! A lively way to start this first Saturday of the 2018-19 campaign, with two goals inside the opening 12 minutes on Tyneside. No other real chances either side of the two quickfire goals.
There were two minutes and 29 seconds between Newcastle falling behind and then levelling things up. Davinson Sanchez involved at both ends, having set up Vertonghen's goal but then being caught out for Joselu's equaliser moments later.
GOAL! NEWCASTLE UNITED 1-2 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (DELE ALLI)
Matt Ritchie's cross for Joselu's goal was special; this was even better. Serge Aurier, profiting from Kieran Trippier's absence, sends a first-time ball towards the back post from a deep position that Dele Alli was able to head back across goal and into the net.
We saw Dele Alli score a similar goal to that for England at the World Cup during the summer. The midfielder memorably done it a couple of times against Chelsea a couple of seasons back, too - he really is an all-rounder.
Three goals in the opening quarter of what could prove to be a thriller at St James' Park. The three goals have come from the three chances, with Tottenham needing just seven minutes to regain their lead through that Dele Alli header.
Question marks over the defending for all three goals so far, it must be said. Tottenham now looking to control the tempo of the game, learning lessons from a little earlier when being caught out soon after taking the lead.
Tottenham's third kit is pretty horrendous. Rather than describing it, I'll let the pictures do the talking...
Newcastle win a corner, which Matt Ritchie put into a dangerous area. Spurs initially dealt with the danger, but it eventually fell to Paul Dummett to blast across goal from 20 yards. Almost identical to Ritchie's shot early in the match.
Serge Aurier was reluctant to shoot with a teammate providing an overlap, but the space opened up and he had to take it on. Judging by the terrible curler that followed, it is clear to see why the full-back wanted to pass rather than shoot.
The match has gone a little quiet since Dele Alli netted the third of the contest, but you'll hear no complaints from me. Tottenham not exactly comfortable but they are managing to keep the opposition out at the moment.
Dummett attempts to wiggle past Sanchez, only for the Colombian to stand firm just inside the box - small shouts for a penalty were waved away. The game is very sloppy at the moment, with no real flow from either side.
Really good play from Kenedy, who takes the ball past a few Tottenham players before being fouled. Martin Atkinson played advantage, but opted against showing Davinson Sanchez a booking when the ball went out of play. Before that, Kane miscontrolled when picked out in the area.
CLOSE! Davinson Sanchez, who already has an assist to his name, gets across Jonjo Shelvey and glances the corner inches wide of the far past. That is the best chance either side have had since Dele Alli's goal a little over 20 minutes ago.
SHOT! Newcastle's best chance of scoring a goal is through latching on to the second ball. Tottenham are struggling to deal with crosses into the box, with this latest half-cleared delivery leading to a dragged Ciaran Clark volley across goal. It was crying out for a touch at the back post.
YELLOW CARD! Harry Kane with a poor squared pass to bring Tottenham's latest attack to an end. The England international has had a disappointing first half. Eric Dier steps across the lively Kenedy to earn the game's first yellow card.
Two minutes have been added on at the end of this lively first half. A few goals and a couple of chances towards the end of the opening 45; fingers crossed for an equally entertaining second period.
HALF TIME: NEWCASTLE UNITED 1-2 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
Referee Martin Atkinson brings an end to the first half of this opening Saturday fixture of the 2018-19 Premier League season. All three goals arrived in the opening quarter of the contest; Jan Vertonghen and Dele Alli scoring either side of Joselu's temporary leveller.
The opening goal was awarded through the use of goal-line technology, as Jan Vertonghen glanced in Davinson Sanchez's knockdown via the underside of the crossbar. Newcastle were on level terms two minutes and 29 seconds later, though, with Matt Ritchie swinging in a delightful ball for Joselu to get in front of Sanchez and nod past a stranded Hugo Lloris.
A third goal in the space of 10 minutes would swing the game back in Tottenham's favour, and it came from another teasing cross from out wide. Serge Aurier, profiting from Kieran Trippier's absence, found the head of Dele Alli at the back post with his first-time delivery from deep. The contest then settled into more of a rhythm, with the next chance not arriving until the final six minutes of the half.
Sanchez ghosted past Jonjo Shelvey and flicked a left-sided corner inches wide of the far post, shortly before Ciaran Clark volleyed a half-cleared cross agonisingly wide at the other end. There has not been a great deal between the sides up to this point, so this may well be a game that is decided by the managers and their use of substitutes.
BENCH WATCH!
NEWCASTLE UNITED SUBS: Darlow, Manquillo, Schar, Ki, Atsu, Muto, Rondon
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR SUBS: Vorm, Alderweireld, Walker-Peters, Amos, Dembele, Son, Llorente
KICKOFF: We are back up and running at St James' Park, where neither manager has made any half-time changes. We were treated to an explosive opening 18 minutes or so; will this second period provide us with similar entertainment?
Salomon Rondon, who is on loan at Newcastle for the season, has already been sent out to warm up. Benitez will probably give it another 10 minutes or so before turning to the Venezuelan, who was relegated with West Brom last term.
OFF THE POST! A thumping strike from Mohamed Diame, which hits the outside of the post. The midfielder took a touch to bring the ball under control and then let leash from around 12 yards. A tight angle, but he so nearly beat Hugo Lloris.
CHANCE! That Diame shot was a bit of a wake-up call for Tottenham, who had started the second half slowly. That has all changed, as Dele Alli got on the end of Christian Eriksen's cross completely unmarked, but could not bring it under control. The ball hit his thigh and was collected by Dubravka.
CHANCE! A glorious chance to level up goes begging for Kenedy! Ayoze Perez picked out his teammate with an outside-of-the-boot pass, but the Brazilian's first touch gave Hugo Lloris a chance to close down the angle. The ball was then played across goal, but Spurs were able to defend on the line.
Chances at both ends in the early stages of the second half, then, in what is proving to be a great advert for the Premier League. The hour mark is approaching and we will surely see a change or two from both sides.
SAVE! The game's fourth goal is fast approaching if the last 10 minutes are anything to go by. Ben Davies picks out Moussa Sissoko, whose shot was kept out by a fine Martin Dubravka stop down the middle. Aurier's cross was then flicked into the air by Dubravka and Sanchez blasted over the net from the volley.
NEWCASTLE UNITED SUB! Tottenham have all the momentum at the moment, but that may now change as Salomon Rondon has been brought on for goalscorer Joselu. Before going off, the striker could not quite get on the end of Ritchie's through-ball.
SAVE! Superb goalkeeping from Hugo Lloris, who got down low to keep out Ayoze Perez's shot from close range. Not quite sure how the scoreline is still 2-1, with both sides creating and missing good opportunities over the last 15 minutes.
Kenedy is heavily involved at the moment, but his curler from 25 yards is hit well into the stands. Newcastle fans are right behind their players now, with momentum firmly with them. Pochettino must be considering his first change.
Yedlin, caught out for Tottenham's second goal, sends a shot well off target from all of 25 yards. Kenedy also curled high and wide from a half-cleared cross on the edge of the box, with Newcastle the side asking all the questions at the moment.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR SUB! Lucas Moura had some good moments but could not make a telling difference on the game, and his afternoon is now over as Mousa Dembele is on to provide some central-midfield steel.
NEWCASTLE UNITED SUB! Matt Ritchie, whose deliveries into the box have caused plenty of problems for Spurs, makes way for Christian Atsu. Twenty minutes left to go at St James' Park and this remains a very tough game to call.
Harry Kane was booked before those two subs for halting the run of Kenedy. Half a chance for Mousa Dembele to make an instant impact, but he fails to trouble Martin Dubravka with his 20-yard shot. This has been a gripping second half.
Lloris once again reacts quickly to prevent Newcastle from getting in behind. Tottenham have had their moments in this second half, but Newcastle have had the better of things and still have more than 15 minutes to find a goal.
Tottenham just holding their opponents at arm's length at the moment. Christian Atsu, brought off the bench a little earlier, swings the ball into the middle but fellow sub Salomon Rondon could not make the contact he wanted.
Spurs get the ball forward for the first time in a while but there is no end product from Christian Eriksen. Son Heung-min is being readied to come on for the visitors, and word is that Dele Alli - the matchwinner as things stand - will make way.
SUBS! Dele Alli has done well to last 80 minutes on his return to action following a few weeks off. Son Heung-min is indeed the player brought on in his place in what is a like-for-like switch. New man Muto replaces Perez for the hosts.
Eric Dier gets back to his byline to prevent the cross from coming into the middle. Newcastle fans are well up for this now, sensing that their side could snatch a point from this opening fixture as we approach the final throes.
Vertonghen does well under pressure from Rondon to keep hold of the ball and then play it out from the back. Spurs have looked a little more comfortable over the past couple of minutes, and now need to see through just six more minutes.
A few groans around St James' Park as Christian Atsu is wasteful when attempting to find Salomon Rondon. Benitez has now used all three of his subs, but opposite number Pochettino has one more available to him should he wish.
OFF THE BAR! Salomon Rondon took Jonjo Shelvey's pass in his stride and got a shot away. The ball deflected off Jan Vertonghen and looped into the air, before hitting the crossbar and being cleared away by Davinson Sanchez. What a huge let-off for Spurs!
Fernando Llorente was ready to come on for Harry Kane, but Eric Dier is unable to see through the final few minutes, meaning a run-out for youngster Luke Amos. Not sure if that is anything serious for Dier - he is probably just extremely fatigued.
Four minutes have been added on at the end of the second half, half of which have already been played. Yedlin has pulled up with a leg injury, which required a minute or so of treatment, so we will likely go beyond the five minute mark.
Newcastle are unable to find any momentum, not helped by that hold up for Yedlin - now off the field - to receive treatment. Three at the back for the Magpies, having already used all three subs, for the remaining 60 seconds or so.
FULL TIME: NEWCASTLE UNITED 1-2 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
Last night's match between Manchester United and Leicester City was hardly a classic, but this was a whole lot better. A few early goals and plenty of chances throughout - let us hope that this is a sign of things to come over the next 10 months or so! In the end Dele Alli's back-post header 18 minutes in settled the game, with Tottenham claiming a 2-1 victory.
That concludes Sports Mole's live text coverage of events from St James' Park. An on-the-whistle report can be found by clicking here, while updates from two of the 3pm kickoffs in the Premier League can be found elsewhere on the site. Thanks for joining!
