Magnificent Laurent Robert climbed from his sick bed to produce a stunning display as rampant Newcastle recorded their biggest Premiership win of the season.
The French winger reported to St James' Park feeling unwell and it was touch-and-go whether or not he played.
He was eventually given the go-ahead and responded with two breathtaking goals and set up another two for skipper Alan Shearer.
A free-kick was awarded to the right of the area and there was never any doubting that the Frenchman would go for goal. Robert got the ball up and over the wall and a relieved Kasey Kelley was delighted to see the ball drift inches wide.
Out of the blue, Newcastle sprung to life ten minutes before the break through the devastating Robert and a goal out of the top drawer, when he volleyed in from 25 yards.
Then, Shola Ameobi charged down the left and forced Keller into a double save and the keeper could then only watch as United then powered in from the right and Kieron Dyer fired across the face of the goal.
If Robert's first goal had quality written all over it, his second on 55 minutes was even better.
Gary Speed's ball was taken on the chest by the French winger who moved forward three strides before hitting a vicious swerving shot from 35 yards, beyond the despairing Keller.
With a hat-trick on the cards Robert flashed a free-kick wide before turning from double goal taker to double goal maker and each time it was Shearer who was on hand to benefit.
Both goals resulted from woeful Spurs marking from corners and to make it worse the players started to argue between themselves.
Robert's left wing corner after 59 minutes produced a century of goals for Shearer for Newcastle at St James' Park, when he was first to react and stabbed the ball over the line from six yards to further write his name into Geordie folklore.
Spurs at this stage were a shambles as they were left with a damage limitation exercise, but they couldn't even do that properly.
With 66 minutes gone the fingers were pointing at each other in the Spurs rearguard, when this time a Robert corner from the right evaded everyone and Shearer set about another 100 home goals by heading in off the underside of the bar.
Robert's clever run then set up Shearer from 20 yards only for a flying Keller save to deny the Premiership's leading marksman a hat-trick.