Tottenham Hotspur 1 Newcastle United 4: Newcastle hint at return of old Keegan magic

Hilarious as many outsiders have found Tyneside's footballing soap opera this season, all neutrals should be cheered by events at White Hart Lane yesterday. It was not just the improbable result, which should ensure Newcastle United remain in the Premier League next season, but the performance. A scintillating second-half display evoked echoes of Kevin Keegan's glorious first spell as commander of the Toon Army. Assuming chairman Mike Ashley invests this summer, maybe, just maybe, "The Messiah" can justify the hype which accompanied his return in January.

Keegan has cut a miserable figure for much of the time since, watching on helplessly as his team went nine matches without a victory. Yesterday he observed their second win on the spin wreathed in smiles. What made it all the more pleasing was that Newcastle conceded first, to Darren Bent. Nicky Butt's equaliser, in first-half injury-time, provided the injection of confidence United needed and goals from Geremi, Michael Owen, and Obafemi Martins completed their biggest league win in nearly two seasons.

A beaming, ebullient Keegan, said: "I thought we were outstanding. It was a tough fixture against a team which has shown massive progress and we could have had seven or eight. You dream about playing like that away from home and winning 4-1, in reality it is difficult to get in those situations.

"We have played good football in the last few games, plenty good enough for me. We have got a small squad but it is full of quality players with experience. We should not be where we are but when I came we had four players at the African Nations Cup and others injured."

Keegan insisted Newcastle were not safe yet but, pressed, admitted he had already been thinking of the summer's transfer activity. There would not be much, he said, just some squad strengthening and "two or three" players who would make a potentially good team better. "It will not take a lot to set us alight," he said, adding there was nothing to fear outside the top four.

Keegan talks like this most weeks but this time there was the evidence to support his optimism. The previous weekend's victory at home to Fulham, and Saturday's favourable results, meant the pressure had eased and Newcastle played with freedom from the kick-off. Habib Beye, seizing on an error by Jonathan Woodgate – who played as if the mere sight of a black-and-white shirt awoke nightmare memories of his own time in Newcastle's notoriously porous back four – struck the bar after four minutes and Joey Barton tested Paul Robinson. Spurs looked uninterested, but nevertheless took the lead when Bent rose above the otherwise impressive Abdoulaye Faye to glance in Steed Malbranque's cross.

Spurs took control but were stunned when Butt's low drive skidded past an apparently unsighted Robinson. That restored Newcastle's belief and transformed the match. Barton hit a post within minutes of the restart, then Robinson was again left motionless as Geremi drove a free-kick through a flimsy wall.

Keegan had once more played all three of his strikers, Owen dropping off Mark Viduka and Martins. He rarely gave the ball away as he linked play, yet also ghosted into dangerous positions. Maybe Owen should audition for the "Gerrard role" for England. "Why is he not playing for England? You will have to ask Fabio Capello, but I think he will play when the big games come around," Keegan said.

Nothing summed up Keegan's positive approach better than Owen's goal. Martins collected the ball near the halfway line with Jamie O'Hara blocking his way. Keegan rushed to the touchline and screamed: "Run at him, attack him". Martins obeyed. O'Hara, scared of incurring a second yellow card, tackled gingerly. Martins skipped by. He rolled the ball into Viduka, who deftly flicked it into the path of the oncoming Owen and he coolly scooped a shot past Robinson.

Barton made the fourth, robbing Adel Taarabt then releasing Martins, who dribbled past Teemu Tainio, then slid the ball past Robinson. White Hart Lane emptied, except for a corner of raucous Geordies. Juande Ramos blamed his heaviest home defeat as Spurs manager on the fact "points were not important [to us]." Keegan agreed: "We had more to play for than them, and it showed."

Playing like this, however, Newcastle will beat motivated teams as well as listless ones. "We had, fitness, ability, desire. You can go anywhere in football with that," Keegan said.

Goals: Bent (26) 1-0; Butt (45) 1-1; Geremi (52) 1-2; Owen (65) 1-3; Martins (83) 1-4.

Tottenham Hotspur (4-3-1-2): Robinson; Hutton, Dawson, Woodgate, O'Hara; Malbranque (Lennon, 59), Zokora (Tainio, 69), Huddlestone; Berbatov; Bent, Keane (Taarabt, 59). Substitutes not used: Cerny (gk), Chimbonda.

Newcastle United (4-3-1-2): Harper; Beye, Taylor, Faye, Enrique; Geremi (Edgar, 89), Butt, Barton; Owen (Carroll, 85); Viduka (Smith, 79), Martins. Substitutes not used: Forster (gk), Duff.

Referee: S Bennett (Kent).

Booked: Spurs O'Hara; Newcastle Butt.

Man of the match: Owen.

Attendance: 36,067