It is unclear whether or not Sandro Tonali will be available for Newcastle United against Wimbledon on Tuesday night.
It feels likely that Eddie Howe will make changes to his starting XI, with the Carabao Cup contest seen as a good chance for the Newcastle United manager to rotate his team.
However, he will still be eager to put out a strong side, as Eddie Howe continues his search for silverware. Newcastle United will take the game against Wimbledon very seriously, with the winner set to face Chelsea at home in the next round.
There are plenty of players competing for places, and it remains to be seen what changes Howe will make to his side. One change could see Sandro Tonali drop out, after he was substituted in the Magpies’ 1-1 draw with Manchester City.
Sandro Tonali played 78 minutes against Manchester City
Saturday’s game against Manchester City was Sandro Tonali’s first Premier League start since October 2023.
He joined Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton in midfield, and played very well. However, he did not last the full 90 minutes.
The 24-year-old was replaced by Sean Longstaff in the 78th minute, with Howe stating that Tonali came off due to cramp.
What Eddie Howe has said about Sandro Tonali’s fitness
Howe has now spoken to the media and addressed whether or not the Italy international is in contention to start against Wimbledon after suffering cramp on Saturday.
“I believe it was cramp [that forced Tonali off vs Man City],” he told the Chronicle.
“He’s a player who we’ll make a late decision on today.”
Newcastle should save Tonali for Everton
Howe has not ruled Tonali out, but it feels likely that he will not start against Wimbledon.
Newcastle are being careful not to overload Tonali, after recently making his return from a 10-month ban. The Magpies do not want Tonali to play too much and risk an injury, which is why Howe has used the midfielder sparingly.
With that in mind, it would be a surprise if he were to start against Wimbledon on Tuesday night. It feels more probable that he will be on the bench, with the view to starting the Premier League game against Everton on Saturday evening.
If Howe does make that decision, it could give Sean Longstaff the chance to return to the Newcastle United starting XI.
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