Newcastle pulled nine points clear of the relegation zone after recovering from 1-0 down to beat Tottenham 4-1 at White Hart Lane on Sunday.Both teams fielded an attack-minded 4-3-3 formation, but it was the Magpies who started better, with Habib Beye rattling the crossbar and both Obafemi Martins and Joey Barton being denied by Paul Robinson early on.

It was the hosts who opened the scoring on 26, though, when Steed Malbranque's left-wing cross was glanced home by Darren Bent.

Bent was later denied by a brave Steve Harper block, with Dimitar Berbatov blasting the rebound over the crossbar.

But after Abdoulaye Faye had an offside goal ruled out, Nicky Butt grabbed an equaliser on 45 when he stroked home a pull-back from Geremi.

After the break it was the visitors who took charge, with Barton's 25-yard skidding shot hitting the upright before Geremi's 25-yard free-kick on 52 left Robinson flat-footed to make it 2-1.

The goal visibly lifted Kevin Keegan's troops, who had efforts from Viduka and Martins saved before Michael Owen was set up by his two strike partners to stab home from close range.

Martins then put the icing on the cake on 83 when a swift counter-attack by Joey Barton led to the Nigerian racing clear and coolly beating Robinson.

It was the first time Newcastle had secured back-to-back victories since December, and moved them to within one place and four points behind Spurs.

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