Shields Gazette

Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com

and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565

Visit Shots! now

Newcastle United have been handed a small injury boost with Joe Willock’s thigh issue not as bad as first feared.

Willock was forced off after scoring in Newcastle’s Carabao Cup second-round win at Nottingham Forest on Wednesday night with a thigh issue that head coach Eddie Howe said ‘didn’t look good’ as he described it as a ‘huge blow’. The 25-year-old midfielder is set to miss Sunday’s Premier League match against Tottenham Hotspur at St James’ Park.

When asked about Willock’s injury ahead of the Spurs match, Howe said: "Joe had a scan [on Thursday], an early scan, it is relatively good news.

Newcastle United news: Headlines, team updates, match previews and reports - all things NUFC

Sign up

Thank you for signing up!

Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Shields Gazette, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more.

Submitting...

“I don’t think it is a serious injury, but it is early, so we will re-scan again in a few days again to confirm that.” It was a more positive update after Howe initially told The Gazette: “A huge blow for [Willock] and for us. We just hope it's not serious.

“It doesn't look good, he's feeling a pain in his thigh so we'll have to wait and see how serious it is.”

In addition to Willock, Newcastle also have Callum Wilson, Lewis Miley, Sven Botman and Jamaal Lascelles out injured against Spurs while Fabian Schar will serve the final match of his three-match suspension.

Martin Dubravka is also a doubt with a concussion injury picked up in training that has seen him miss the last two matches. Newcastle have made an unbeaten start to the new season with four point from their opening two Premier League matches against Southampton and AFC Bournemouth before progressing to the third round of the Carabao Cup after beating Forest on penalties.

The Magpies have taken four points from their first two league games and progressed in the Carabao Cup over Premier League opposition in the form of Nottingham Forest on Wednesday night - albeit on penalties. However, this weekend sees them face their toughest test yet when Ange Postecoglou brings his Tottenham Hotspur side to St James’ Park.

Spurs have also taken four points from their first two league games and defeated Everton 4-0 last weekend as they look to push for Champions League qualification. Postecoglou, though, may be without new signing Dominic Solanke who was injured during their win against Leicester City on the opening weekend of the season.

Howe, meanwhile, will still be without the suspended Fabian Schar and a few long-term injured players. Sandro Tonali could be handed his first Premier League start in over ten months this weekend after playing over an hour at the CIty Ground upon his return to the first-team.

Here, we take a look at the starting XI that Howe could name for the visit of Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday. Do you agree with our picks? Follow us on our social media channels and let us know your thoughts there.

Both Eddie Howe and Ange Postecoglou’s sides have taken four points from their first two games with their meeting on Sunday set to be a good barometer of where both teams are at the early stages of the season. Newcastle United won this meeting 4-0 back in April, but will be wary of a Spurs team that put four past Everton at the weekend.

Howe will continue to be without Fabian Schar as he serves the final match of his three game ban following his red card against Southampton. He will also have to deal with a number of long-term injuries as well as a fresh blow for Joe Willock who limped off against Nottingham Forest on Wednesday night.

Spurs, meanwhile, also have a couple of injuries to worry about with their star summer signing, Dominic Solanke, potentially set to miss the trip to St James’ Park. The former Bournemouth man enjoys a good record against the Magpies from his time at the Vitality Stadium.

Here, we take a look at the latest injury and suspension news from both camps ahead of Sunday’s game between Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur:

Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com

and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565

Visit Shots! now

Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe has claimed Callum Wilson ‘definitely won’t’ return from injury before the international break.

Wilson missed all of Newcastle’s pre-season matches as well as the opening games of the 2024-25 campaign with a back issue that required a small procedure. Although Howe initially claimed his side would only be without the striker for the opening ‘couple of games’, he is now facing at least two months on the sidelines in total.

“Callum is continuing his rehabilitation from injury,” Howe told The Gazette. “I am happy with his progress. He is working very hard, as he always does.

Newcastle United news: Headlines, team updates, match previews and reports - all things NUFC

Sign up

Thank you for signing up!

Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Shields Gazette, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more.

Submitting...

“We miss him, he adds a different dynamic. He is such an important character around the squad, we hope to get him back soon, [but] he definitely won't be back before the international break.”

Newcastle travel to Nottingham Forest in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday evening (8pm kick-off) before hosting Tottenham Hotspur at St James’ Park on Sunday (1:30pm kick-off). Wilson will miss both matches but could be back involved for the trip to Wolverhampton Wanderers following the international break on September 15.

Wilson initially returned for pre-season training at Newcastle in July and travelled to Germany with the squad before pulling out of training due to his back problem. The 32-year-old has since been filmed skipping and working individually on his rehabilitation.

He has also been linked with a move away from the club this transfer window now he is into the final year of his contract at St James’ Park but no formal proposals have been made for the player so far.

Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com

and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565

Visit Shots! now

Harvey Barnes and Anthony Gordon combined to rescue a point for Newcastle United at Bournemouth on Sunday.

Barnes came off the bench to brilliantly set up Gordon for a 76th minute equaliser at the Vitality Stadium to cancel out Marcus Tavernier’s opening goal. Given Barnes and Gordon usually compete for the same left-wing position, it was a rare occasion in which both players were on the pitch for Newcastle.

There have been many calls for Newcastle to strengthen out on the right wing with Jacob Murphy and Miguel Almiron currently Eddie Howe’s options down that side. But on Sunday, Barnes was introduced on the left wing as Gordon switched out to the right with Murphy being withdrawn.

Newcastle United news: Headlines, team updates, match previews and reports - all things NUFC

Sign up

Thank you for signing up!

Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Shields Gazette, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more.

Submitting...

The first time Howe named a front three of Barnes on the left, Gordon on the right and Alexander Isak through the middle was the 4-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur back in April. It was arguably one of Newcastle’s best attacking performances of the season and Spurs just so happen to be next up in the Premier League at St James’ Park.

After the 4-0 win against Spurs, Howe named the same front three in the following match at Crystal Palace. It has not been seen in a Newcastle starting line-up since the 2-0 defeat at Selhurst Park.

But playing Gordon on the right and Barnes on the left is a potential solution to strengthening Newcastle on the right wing without having to make a new signing. But Howe played down the suggestion somewhat.

“I think the balance has to be right,” Howe said about naming Gordon, Barnes and Isak as his front three. “Of course, you want the players that enter the pitch to be comfortable to give their best performances, and it’s my job to give them that environment.

“Of course, we’ll assess everything and try and make the right decisions for the team but there’s no doubting either player’s qualities. You could see Harvey’s impact [at Bournemouth], his crossing ability and directness - we needed it at that time in the game.”

Before Newcastle host Spurs in the Premier League, they will travel to face Nottingham Forest in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday evening.

Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com

and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565

Visit Shots! now

The match officials have been confirmed for Newcastle United’s Premier League match at Bournemouth on Sunday afternoon (2pm kick-off).

David Coote will referee will referee the match at the Vitality Stadium. It will be Coote’s first match refereeing Newcastle since the 6-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur at St James’ Park in April 2023.

Coote also refereed Newcastle’s 2-0 defeat to Manchester United in the Carabao Cup final a couple of months earlier. At Bournemouth, he will be assisted by Lee Betts and Craig Taylor with Simon Hooper as fourth official.

Newcastle United news: Headlines, team updates, match previews and reports - all things NUFC

Sign up

Thank you for signing up!

Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Shields Gazette, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more.

Submitting...

Tim Robinson will be on VAR, assisted by Neil Davies. Newcastle have already been on the receiving end of a controversial refereeing decision after just one match this season after Craig Pawson decided to show Fabian Schar a straight red card for violent conduct against Ben Brereton Diaz in Newcastle’s 1-0 win over Southampton last weekend.

Brereton Diaz pushed Schar to the ground before going head-to-head with the Swiss defender and promptly throwing himself to the ground once contact had been made. Pawson made the decision to show Schar a red card which was not overturned by VAR.

Following the win, Newcastle analysed the footage and decided to appeal the red card but the decision was upheld. As a result, Schar will serve a three-match suspension - starting against Bournemouth this weekend.

The 32-year-old will also miss the midweek trip to Nottingham Forest in the Carabao Cup as well as next weekend’s match against Tottenham Hotspur at St James’ Park. He will be eligible to return to action at Wolverhampton Wanderers on September 15 (4:30pm kick-off).

Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com

and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565

Visit Shots! now

Eddie Howe has confirmed that Fabian Schar will not feature against Bournemouth on Sunday.

Schar was sent off during the first-half of Saturday’s win over Southampton following an off-the-ball incident with Ben Brereton Diaz. Schar was adjudged to have headbutted the Chilean international and was dismissed by Craig Pawson for violent conduct - an action that carries a three-game suspension.

Schar reacted to a shove in the back from Brereton Diaz by first pushing his opponent, before then squaring up to him. The Saints man then fell dramatically to the floor after going face-to-face with Schar - leading to a red card being shown by Pawson.

Newcastle United news: Headlines, team updates, match previews and reports - all things NUFC

Sign up

Thank you for signing up!

Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Shields Gazette, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more.

Submitting...

Eddie Howe revealed last week that the club would appeal Schar’s dismissal with the aim of having his suspension reduced. He told the Gazette: “We'll analyse the sending off and everything attached to that. I haven't seen it back but once we have we'll see what we do.

“I thought it was soft, that was my initial impression. It feels like Fabby has been caught by a well-managed situation. But before I criticise any players involved I’ll have to see it again.”

However, that appeal has subsequently failed, meaning that Schar will miss the trip to the Vitality Stadium, their Carabao Cup game against Nottingham Forest as well as their clash with Tottenham Hotspur at St James’ Park next weekend.

The timing of the red card means Schar won’t feature for the Magpies again until after the September international break. Newcastle United are awaiting reasons from the FA as to why their appeal was not successful.

Watch more of our videos on Shots!

and live on Freeview channel 276

Visit Shots! now

Eddie Howe has been handed a very early blow after Fabian Schar was sent off just 30 minutes into Newcastle United’s clash with Southampton.

Newcastle United’s Premier League opener against Southampton was overshadowed by a controversial red card to Schar just 30 minutes into the game. The Switzerland international was dismissed by Craig Pawson after a coming together between himself and Ben Brereton-Diaz after the Chilean had barged his opposite number in the back off the ball.

Following that incident, Schar reacted by standing up to Brereton-Diaz but Pawson adjudged he had headbutted the Saints man and reached for the red card. VAR checked the incident but agreed with the referee’s initial decision and Schar was shown to the tunnel.

Newcastle United news: Headlines, team updates, match previews and reports - all things NUFC

Sign up

Thank you for signing up!

Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Shields Gazette, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more.

Submitting...

Howe reacted to that dismissal by taking off Jacob Murphy and replacing him with Emil Krafth as they shifted from a 4-3-3 formation to a 4-3-2 system. As expected, the St James’ Park crowd spent the rest of the first-half booing every single Brereton-Diaz touch.

A red card for violent conduct does mean that Schar will be suspended for Newcastle United’s next three games. Those will come against Bournemouth in the league next Sunday, their Carabao Cup meeting against Nottingham Forest and then against Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on 1 September.

Newcastle United have finally confirmed Sandro Tonali’s official return date from his 10-month betting ban - though uncertainty remains.

Newcastle have received confirmation from Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio (FIGC) that Tonali’s ban runs up to and including August 27, allowing him to return to action from August 28.

But when Tonali will return is not quite clear just yet as Newcastle have a Carabao Cup second round match at Nottingham Forest that week which could be scheduled for either Tuesday or Wednesday evening. Tonali would be ineligible to feature should the game be played on Tuesday but would be allowed if scheduled for Wednesday.

Advertisement

Hide Ad

Advertisement

Hide Ad

Newcastle United news: Headlines, team updates, match previews and reports - all things NUFC

Sign up

Thank you for signing up!

Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Shields Gazette, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more.

Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later.

Submitting...

The fixture is likely to be played on Wednesday due to Newcastle playing away at Bournemouth on the Sunday beforehand.

Tonali’s first Premier League match back will be Tottenham Hotspur at St James’ Park on September 1.

A club statement confirmed: “Newcastle United can announce that Sandro Tonali will return to selection on Wednesday, August 28, 2024 following the conclusion of his ten-month ban from competitive football.

“The club has received formal confirmation from the Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio (FIGC) that the player’s sporting sanction will run up to and including Tuesday, August 27.

Advertisement

Hide Ad

Advertisement

Hide Ad

“The Magpies will travel to Nottingham Forest in the Carabao Cup second round during the week commencing Monday, August 26 (fixture date and time TBC), before hosting Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League at St. James’ Park on Sunday, September 1 (kick-off 1:30pm BST).”

This comes after there was confusion over Tonali’s exact return date. An initial statement published by the club last year listed Tonali’s return date as August 27, 2024 which would have allowed him to play in the Carabao Cup second-round matches.

But an official document published by the Football Association earlier this year listed Tonali’s return date as August 29 rather than August 27. The club later confirmed they would be adhering to the August 29 return date unless told otherwise.

Now, they have received official confirmation that Tonali’s return date is actually August 28.

Advertisement

Hide Ad

Advertisement

Hide Ad

Tonali has been banned from football since October 2023 but has been able to continue training with the Newcastle first team. He will miss Newcastle’s opening two Premier League fixtures against Southampton and AFC Bournemouth before being available to return against Spurs.

Watch more of our videos on Shots!

and live on Freeview channel 276

Visit Shots! now

Sandro Tonali is just over a fortnight away from returning for Newcastle United.

The Italian midfielder is serving the final weeks of his 10-month betting ban which officially expires at the end of this month. Newcastle’s first league game after Tonali’s ban is lifted will be against Tottenham Hotspur on September 1, after the summer transfer window has closed.

And Newcastle chief executive officer Darren Eales believes Tonali will ‘genuinely be like a new signing’ for the club after being limited to just 12 appearances following his £52million arrival from AC Milan last summer.

Advertisement

Hide Ad

Advertisement

Hide Ad

Newcastle United news: Headlines, team updates, match previews and reports - all things NUFC

Sign up

Thank you for signing up!

Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Shields Gazette, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more.

Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later.

Submitting...

While serving his ban, Tonali has continued to train at Newcastle and even addressed supporters in English during an exclusive fan event in Tokyo earlier this month.

Reflecting on Tonali’s surprise appearance in Japan, Eales said: “It was great, wasn’t it? “I don’t think anyone in the room knew that the players were coming.

“Sandro’s English is really good, and I thought he just spoke from the heart. For me, you got a sense of what Sandro Tonali is as a player. I think he accepts that last year doesn’t almost count, that season, because of what happened.

“I think you can see just by the way he carries himself that he’s really focused for this season, and it’s a way for him to kick start his Newcastle United career.

Advertisement

Hide Ad

Advertisement

Hide Ad

“We know he’s a fantastic player. He works his socks off in training, which is difficult when you’re not playing games. He’s done that. He starting to see that August 28 is fast approaching.

“It is a cliche, but he is going to be genuinely like a new signing, because this is his chance to launch his Newcastle United career. It’s exciting for him.”

Tonali hasn’t been able to feature for Newcastle in pre-season but is understood to have been involved in 11 v 11 training ground matches, including one against Burnley last month. He will miss Saturday’s Premier League opener against Southampton at St James’ Park and the trip to AFC Bournemouth the following weekend before finally returning against Spurs.

Discussing Tonali’s return, Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe said: “He’s good. Mentally, I think he’s been excellent during this long period. I think he’s trained really well.

Advertisement

Hide Ad

Advertisement

Hide Ad

“He’s very low maintenance for someone like me to manage the situation. I think he’s been first class. He’s been really supportive to the players that have been playing, and making sure that the team’s in the right place, ahead of himself.

“I expect, with the way he’s trained, for him to get up to speed quite quickly, but I do think there needs to be a certain amount of understanding that there’s just been no way for us to get him the games that he needs into his legs.

“Although he’s joined in every day, a lot of his training would be smaller than a match unless it’s an 11 v 11, which we would occasionally do in training. I think it probably will take him a while to get to his very best levels, but he looks fit and very focused. He’s a big player for us.”