A difficult week for United came to a miserable end on Sunday; Eddie Howe's side somewhat fortunate to get away with only leaking four goals as a buoyant Spurs side ran them ragged.

Enduring selection issues of their own, the hosts had led in each of their previous five outings but only had a point to show for their efforts ahead of this clash.

This time though the Cockerels took the lead and kept it, providing an exhibition of fine flowing football as the scoreline steadily increased with the help of some slack defending.

Not for the first time against us, Heung-Min Son was central to the home side's attacking threat; creating the first two goals and netting a fourth after his run into the area was illegally halted.

Although Callum Wilson and Sean Longstaff were on the bench after injury, the same outfield group of players that had capitulated at Everton on Thursday started for a fourth successive game.

And it was a similar story to that at Goodison; United unable to net the crucial first goal despite a glaring opportunity to do so after nine minutes.  
 
Alexander Isak looked a certain scorer when Anthony Gordon crossed from the left, but a slight touch off Ben Davies meant that the striker's contact was minimal and the ball slid wide of the gaping goal.

Bruno Guimaraes had already shaved the bar with a slice from the edge of the box while Richarlison and Son went close at the other end before Spurs went ahead in the 26th minute.

Son got the better of his old team mate Kieran Trippier on the left side of the area, pulling the ball back for the unattended Destiny Udogie to score from close range.

Miggy Almiron should have equalised eight minutes later when Joelinton played him in but as at Everton, Miggy's shot was woefully underhit and goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario saved comfortably.

Four minutes later the lead was doubled and Son was the creator again on the left; finding Richarlison who couldn't miss from inside the six yard box.

The roof threatened to fall in at that point and Brennan Johnson went close with a shot from the right before Dejan Kulusevski should have beaten Dubravka but the 'keeper saved.

Two behind at the break, the blue-clad visitors made no personnel changes but had more intent, purpose and importantly possession kicking towards their fans.

A series of corners and a fleeting passage of pressure however failed to reduce the arrears and our eight game unbeaten league record in the capital was finally halted by going 0-3 down on the hour.

Richarlison got on the end of Pedro Porro's cross before touching the ball past the poorly-placed Dubravka, who may or may not be playing a shoulder issue. Jamaal Lascelles also wasn't at his best - perhaps a legacy of the dead leg that forced him off on Thursday. 

Like Isak, Almiron and Tripper it's not just those players sidelined who are struggling - form and fitness issues abound at present among those playing week after week as the effort expended in playing our brand of pressing football becomes harder to recover from. This was game 17 for Spurs, game 23 for Newcastle and it showed.

Johnson hit the post and Son was also narrowly off-target as the hosts looked to avenge their 1-6 thrashing at St. James' Park in April. Had Harry Kane still been here, they may well have done.

Wilson and Longstaff appeared and both sides had chances to score; Joelinton almost converting a cross but booked for a forearm smash as his frustrations looked like getting the better of him.

That sparked a furious spell where Cristian Romero should have walked for a disgraceful challenge on Wilson that VAR somehow failed to upgrade the onfield yellow. Although it's doubtful that going down to ten men would have altered the outcome, a second red in a month for the Argentinean defender and the consequent extended ban would have consequences for Tottenham's future games. 

In the aftermath Bruno came close to seeing red himself with a headbutt and Trippier dived in to receive his fifth yellow card of the season to miss the visit of Fulham.

Dubravka then made a rash challenge on Son that was punished from the spot by the South Korean forward to make it 0-4 with five minutes of normal time remaining. Wilson set up Joelinton for a late consolation and then should have scored himself with a header but directed it straight at Vicario. 

A first PL away goal in over five hours provided scant consolation though for those travellers who overcame catastrophic rail problems - and hadn't deserted their posts by that point in proceedings.

With little time for anything other than a change of kit, we move on to the next challenge on Wednesday; the little matter of deciding our immediate European fate. 

Quite what the best outcome of that tie is for the club at this moment in time is a matter of debate, with claims that progress in Europe would result in additional resources for recruitment in January to be taken with a pinch of salt. 

Without even considering the local FA Cup spat, the shape of our season may be altered considerably by the middle of next week - and some of the decision-making could be taken out of our hands. 

Biffa