Tottenham Hotspur star sprinkled with Ange Postecoglou 'stardust' in Newcastle United win

Jamie Redknapp believes Richarlison hasn’t always deserved the backing he has received from Tottenham Hotspur fans - but was delighted to see the Brazil star has been touched by Ange Postecoglou’s ‘stardust’.

The former Everton forward had just one Premier League goal to his name prior to Sunday’s home game with Newcastle United and was without a goal in any competition in his last eight appearances.

Despite that poor run in front of goal, the 26-year-old was handed the lead role in Spurs attack as they hosted the Magpies and he rewarded Postecoglou with a lively display as his side swept aside Eddie Howe’s men.

With Spurs already a goal to the good Richarlison found the net with a neat finish on 38 minutes as he fired home after good work from the influential Heung-Min Son and doubled his tally just after the hour-mark.

The forward had been replaced by the time Son grabbed his side’s final goal of a 4-1 win from the penalty spot but can reflect on an impressive performance that will force him into Postecoglou’s thinking ahead of the hectic festive schedule.

Former Spurs and Liverpool star Redknapp insisted Richarlison is at his best as a ‘number nine’ and praised Postecoglou for the impact he has made on the Brazilian.

“We said before the game that the manager has this ability to rub stardust on people, magic dust on people,” he told Sky Sports.

“Everyone has become a better player.  It hasn’t quite happened for him (Richarlison) yet but today it did.  I think the fact he played him as a number nine and then played Son gave him that platform because I think if you play him out wide, he doesn’t really want to play out there.

“At Everton, his best performances were as a number nine.  Today, he gave him that role and it certainly paid off.  I felt before the game he would have played Son there and him out wide, that’s why the manager has to make those decisions.

“For Richarlison, it’s so important because it gives you that belief again because the crowd are with you.  They have stuck with him in fairness and sometimes his performances haven’t warranted that because he hasn’t done as well as he should have done.”

Richarlison will now hope to retain his place when Spurs are back in action on Friday night when they visit Nottingham Forest.