Newcastle vs Tottenham friendly: Alan Shearer blasts ‘crazy’ decision to stage bizarre fixture just days after Premier League ended – so why is it taking place?

The decision to play a game so soon after the end of the campaign and before major international tournaments sparked an angry reaction from Shearer, who said on Match Of The Day: “Can you imagine if you’re a player who is playing in either the Copa America or Euro 2024 having to do that? Madness. Crazy. I wouldn’t be happy at all. It’s crazy for Newcastle to go and play Spurs there on Wednesday night and then another game.”

The Premier League sides are aiming to build their reach beyond the English borders and hope an entertaining encounter in Australia will attract more international fans. However, the move has been criticised amid fears that teams are playing too many games, putting players in danger of suffering injuries because of their workload.

The two teams go head-to-head at Melbourne Cricket Ground before Eddie Howe’s team face a collection of A-League heroes. Many of the players on each side will then begin preparing for Euro 2024, which starts on June 14, and the Copa America less than a week later.