Premier League: Tottenham 2 Newcastle 0

Tottenham displaced Chelsea in the top four of the Premier League with a dramatic 2-0 win over Newcastle at White Hart Lane on Tuesday.

But they had to do it the hard way after playing out the final 25 minutes with ten men following the dismissal of Younes Kaboul.

However, such is the confidence of Harry Redknapp’s men that they kept going as Gareth Bale scored a brilliant second goal to add to Aaron Lennon’s opener.

Newcastle had the better of the opening stages as Andy Carroll headed a ball from Jonas Gutierrez onto the roof of the net and Joey Barton hit two free-kicks high.

The action developed in the opposite goalmouth as Tim Krul and his defence kept Spurs at bay as the half wore on.

The young Dutch keeper saved weak shots from Roman Pavlyuchenko and Rafael Van der Vaart, before tipping over a beautifully curled free-kick from his fellow Dutchman in the 33rd minute.

At half-time, Harry Redknapp sent on former Newcastle midfielder Jermaine Jenas to replace Wilson Palacios, who had been booked for a foul on Barton, as Spurs sought to break down a stubborn Newcastle side.

Within 12 minutes, the plan worked as Lennon opened the scoring.

The move started in Tottenham’s defence, and when Kaboul received the ball in central midfield, he drove it out to the right wing. Lennon took one touch before firing a low shot into the far corner, the ball going in off the foot of Magpies’ defender James Perch.

Spurs were full of attacking intent and Pavlyuchenko set up Luka Modric for a low shot that was well saved before the game turned spiteful.

Alan Smith was lucky to receive only a booking for a wild lunge on Bale, but when Cheick Tiote tried to stamp on Kaboul, the Spurs man reacted angrily and stuck his forehead on the Newcastle midfielder.

Referee Anhtony Taylor sent off Kaboul but spared Tiote, who had already been booked. Alan Pardew withdrew him soon afterwards, presumably to prevent him getting sent off, and within a minute, Bale had wrapped up the points with a goal of breathtaking brilliance.

Modric, the game’s outstanding player, won the ball off Carroll on the edge of Tottenham’s penalty area and carried it forward. He released Bale on the left, and the Welsh winger cut inside Steven Taylor before drilling the ball into the far corner from an acute angle.