Let’s be honest, we’re all buzzing the international break is over, but let’s take one last look back at what the Newcastle United players got up to during their time away with their countries.
There were 12 Newcastle players on international duty this month, including big names like Nick Woltemade, Bruno Guimaraes, and Dan Burn.
Naturally, there were other players who missed out on international call-ups, and they’ve spent the last fortnight working hard with Eddie Howe.
As the break comes to a close, here’s a rundown of how all the Newcastle United players performed while they were away.
How Newcastle United players performed during international break
Nick Woltemade
Of all the players on international duty this month, Woltemade has enjoyed the most success. He scored two goals in Germany’s 2-0 win over Luxembourg to get things started, and then added another goal in a 6-0 rout over Slovakia.
That ensured Germany’s passage to the World Cup next year, and earned Woltemade plenty of praise from the German press. Howe will be pleased with Woltemade’s displays, especially the fact he scored a poacher’s goal against Slovakia, and the big striker will now return to Newcastle full of confidence.
Malick Thiaw
It’s been two years since Malick Thiaw’s last appearance for Germany, but he’s back in the fold now. He didn’t start either game this month, but he got 11 minutes as a substitute against Luxembourg and a further 26 minutes against Slovakia.
Interestingly, Thiaw did pick up a yellow card in the second game. But, with no major mistakes and no goals conceded, the centre-half will be happy with his contribution and now needs to push on to make sure he stays in the squad for the World Cup.
Dan Burn
Dan Burn’s claim for a World Cup spot continued successfully this month, playing the full 90 minutes in the win over Albania. He didn’t feature against Serbia before that, but he’ll still be happy with his performance.
England’s clean sheet record remains intact, and while some criticised Burn’s ability on the ball, he was a tower of strength in the air as always and has surely kept himself in Thomas Tuchel’s good books.
- READ MORE: Dan Burn’s performance for England vs Albania has Newcastle United fans in complete agreement now
Bruno Guimaraes
Newcastle captain Bruno Guimaraes played the full 90 for Brazil in a 2-0 win over Senegal on Saturday, but only played an hour in the draw against Tunisia on Tuesday night.
That’s probably a good thing for Eddie Howe, of course, who will have been pleased to see his skipper return to Tyneside without any injuries.
Anthony Elanga
It was a very interesting international break for Anthony Elanga. After struggling for Newcastle this season, the winger did well for Sweden despite a 4-1 loss to Switzerland. In that game, Elanga played on the left wing instead of the right wing, and fans were impressed.
However, Elanga’s international break was cut short, when he withdrew from the Sweden squad due to private reasons. It is thought Elanga will be available for this weekend against Man City, though.
Sandro Tonali
Sandro Tonali played the full 90 minutes for Italy in a 2-0 win over Moldova last Thursday. However, he missed the big defeat against Norway after withdrawing from the Italy squad, but Howe thinks Tonali will be fine to face Man City.
The bigger picture is that Tonali will be desperate to get back to action for Italy, who now face a challenge to qualify for the World Cup. But, that’s a matter to address next year.
Lewis Hall
He’s only just back from injury, but Lewis Hall got valuable minutes under his belt for England U21s this week. Thankfully, though, Hall wasn’t overused by Lee Carsley, which will please Eddie Howe.
It’s thought Thomas Tuchel will speak to Hall (and other players) about their status in the senior England squad, and he’ll face a real fight to be on the plane next summer.
- READ MORE: Lewis Hall gets seal of approval from ‘everyone at the FA’ as Newcastle star begins World Cup bid
Lewis Miley
While Lewis Hall is too good for the Under-21s, Lewis Miley continued to establish himself with the England youth setup.
He played 75 minutes in the first game against Ireland U21s, and then got another 22 minutes against Slovakia U21s.
Alex Murphy
Newcastle academy star Alex Murphy didn’t feature against England U21s, but he played 45 minutes in the 4-0 defeat to Andorra U21s. It wasn’t a good week for Ireland U21s, and Murphy will be glad to see the back of this break.
Leo Shahar
It’s thought Leo Shahar will go out on loan in the near future, but the full-back has been busy with England U19s this week. He played 90 minutes of a massive 7-0 win over Latvia on Saturday, before getting another 21 minutes under his belt in a 4-0 win over Scotland.
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