Chris Sutton has predicted how a Cristian Romero-less Tottenham Hotspur will fare against Newcastle in the Premier League this evening.
Tottenham are hovering dangerously close to the relegation zone, sitting just five points behind 18th-placed West Ham.
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 11 |  BournemouthBournemouth | 25 | 8 | 10 | 7 | 41 | 44 | -3 | 34 |
| 12 |  NewcastleNewcastle | 25 | 9 | 6 | 10 | 35 | 36 | -1 | 33 |
| 13 |  Crystal PalaceCrystal Palace | 25 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 26 | 29 | -3 | 32 |
| 14 |  BrightonBrighton | 25 | 7 | 10 | 8 | 34 | 33 | 1 | 31 |
| 15 |  TottenhamTottenham | 25 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 35 | 35 | 0 | 29 |
| 16 |  LeedsLeeds | 25 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 34 | 43 | -9 | 29 |
| 17 |  Nottingham ForestNottingham Forest | 25 | 7 | 5 | 13 | 25 | 38 | -13 | 26 |
| 18 |  West HamWest Ham | 25 | 6 | 5 | 14 | 31 | 48 | -17 | 23 |
The Lilywhites have not won any of their last seven matches in the Premier League and are desperate to get three points on the board to give themselves some breathing space.
However, Tottenham go into the game with double-digit absentees, with Destiny Udogie becoming the latest to succumb to an injury.
Chris Sutton claims Tottenham captain Cristian Romero let down Thomas Frank
The most high-profile absentee for Spurs is Cristian Romero, who is suspended for four matches after his red card against Man United.
Sutton blasted the Tottenham captain for his moment of madness at Old Trafford and suggested that he should be concentrating on his own performances rather than speaking out against the club on social media.
The former Rangers striker predicted that the two sides would share the spoils at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this evening.
When asked to predict the result of the clash between Spurs and the Magpies, Sutton told BBC Sport: “For a manager like Thomas Frank, who is under pressure, that is the last thing you need. Poor old Eddie Howe is feeling the heat at Newcastle too, though. We had callers in to 606 at the weekend saying it is time for a change – my reaction was ‘what!?’. I really don’t get that thinking at all, and not just because Howe’s the guy who ended their long wait for a trophy, less than a year ago.
“His squad is stretched now because of the Champions League and their run to the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup, and he also had everything around Alexander Isak’s exit to deal with at the start of the season, when it wasn’t his doing.
“This is a very difficult game to predict for various reasons, but we do know Spurs are poor at home and Newcastle aren’t great away.
I still think someone will win it, but I am going to sit in the middle anyway and go for a draw.”
Prediction: Tottenham 1 – 1 Newcastle.
Frank backs Spurs defender to step up in Romero’s absence
Speaking yesterday, Thomas Frank admitted that he has been impressed with Radu Dragusin’s displays after his return from injury.
The Dane backed the Romanian to step in the absence of Romero and the injured Kevin Danso, praising the 23-year-old for his ability to sense danger.
Frank conceded that Spurs are now desperate for points, but made it clear that he does not expect an easy game against Newcastle.