Tottenham's poor start to the new Premier League season continued as Newcastle struck twice against the run of play to secure a 2-0 win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Two second-half goals from Anthony Elanga and Yoane Wissa stunned Spurs, leaving them without a point after their first two games of what was heralded as a new era under Roberto De Zerbi.
Despite spending in excess of £300 million to correct the issues of the last two seasons, the north London outfit appear stuck in a losing streak, with a new term conjuring more familiar feelings for an embattled fanbase.
Tonali struggles to justify price tag
On his home league debut, Sandro Tonali was always going to attract plenty of attention as he sought to justify his £100 million price tag against his former employers.
The travelling fans made their feelings about the Italian known from the outset, jeering his every touch, and for a while Tonali struggled to plug the gaps.
As Spurs pressed forward, he grew in confidence, though, and there were a few moments where he showed his class by making long, powerful strides up the pitch to set in motion an attack for the dominant hosts.
This performance was, however, marked by lapses in concentration, and Tonali was as guilty as anyone of letting his standards drop at the wrong time.
Faced up by Elanga, the Italy international let the Newcastle winger spin past him all too easily and find the far right bottom corner with a shot he really should not have been allowed to get off.
De Zerbi says he has been impressed by Tonali's intensity, but it was his levels that dropped dramatically to allow the visitors to take the lead in a game where they had been made to suffer for long periods.
After a difficult debut performance against Brentford, Tonali was unable to defy his critics. The pressure on him to find the sort of level he once displayed in a Newcastle shirt continues to grow.
Marmoush produces promising but unproductive debut
With Savio not in the matchday squad through injury, all eyes were on new boy Omar Marmoush tonight.
Thrust straight into the starting lineup following his move from Manchester City earlier in the week, the Egyptian forward led a lopsided attack that included Pedro Porro at right wing in place of Savio.
De Zerbi described Marmoush as the perfect player in his pre-match comments, praising his ability to make things happen with the ball and get into scoring positions.
He did plenty of the former early on, taking ownership in possession and wriggling out of pressure to create openings. But chances of his own eluded him in the first half, with one effort at the back post all he had to show for a first 45 that displayed plenty of industry and technical ability.
A promising first half felt like it warranted a goal but as the game drew on, Marmoush became more of a spectator as Spurs' touches in the opposition box nearly halved in the second period, despite them chasing a route back into the game.
There is more to come from Marmoush, and there were positive signs that he can be the player to link together this disjointed attack.
Ultimately, though, it does not matter how much of the ball you see. If you can't create chances and score goals, you are going to struggle to win games.
Home hoodoo continues
This fixture has never once ended 0-0 in the history of the Premier League, so goals were to be expected.
This was a game, though, that, while threatening to explode into life with plenty of action in the final third, did not deliver any goals until the 62nd minute.
Spurs were the team asking all the questions early doors, with Andy Robertson, Porro and Mathys Tel taking a combined 17 touches in the Newcastle box in the first half - more than double the amount the Magpies managed in total during the opening 45.
But it was Newcastle who struck just past the hour mark to break the deadlock. Elanga's scuffed effort had the hosts stunned and left Tonali looking around for some solace from his dejected team-mates.
It was the Italian, heckled relentlessly by the away crowd, who was not strong enough against Elanga, letting the Swedish winger spin away and get his shot off inside the area.
A new season but the same old issues at home for Spurs, who won just three league games at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last term.
De Zerbi has spoken about building a winning habit, but until his side can hold their concentration at the back and be more ruthless in the final third, they will struggle to get points on the board.
